University  of  California  •  Berkeley 
Gift  of 


MRS.  L.  NOBLE  ROBINSON 


WILLIAMS' 

ILL  USTRA  TED 


THE  PACIFIC  TOURIST. 

The  handsomest  Guide  Book  in  the  world !  Every  traveler  needs  it  !  Buy  it,  it  is  the  best !  Williams'  Illustrated 
Trans-Continental  Guide  of  the  Pacific  Railroad.  Scenery  of  the  Far  West,  Pleasure  Resorts,  Mines  and  Lands  of  California, 
Ut!»h,  The  Black  Hills,  Idaho,  Nevada,  and  the  Pacific  Coast.  The  most  wonderful  book  of  Western  Scenery  ever  known. 
H820.OOO  worth  of  engravings  Full  of  Grand  Illustrations  of  Scenery.  It  describes  every  Railroad  Station  of  the  Union 
and  Central  Pacific  Railroads  for  3,500  miles.  Tells  you  Where  to  Go,  What  to  See,  Where  to  Sport  and  Fish,  all  about 
the  Pleasure  Re-orts.  Springs,  Lakes.  Mountains,  Mines.  Lands,  and  every  place  that  will  interest  you  on  your  Overland 
Trip.  378  pages,  price  SS1.5O,  flexible  covers.  Railroad  Euitiou,  $2.OO,  full  cloth,  32O  pages. 


Endorsed  by  PROF.  HAYDEN  as  the  most  accurate  Map  of  the  State  ever  published.  Contains  all  the  Hayden  Surveys, 
and  is  the  handsomest  Western  .Map  ever  seen.  Contains  the  elevation  of  eveiv  Mountain  Peak.  Pass,  and  Lake  in  the 
State,  every  Road  and  Trail,  County  Boundaries.  Cities.  Towns,  and  Post  Offices.  The  only  complete  Map  of  Rivers, 
Streams,  Likes,  Railro  ids,  and  Routes  to  the  Health  and  Pleasure  Resorts  and  Mines  of  all  portions  of  the  State.  Its  geo- 
graphical surveys  of  the  San  Juan  Mining  Region  have  been  of  unusual  detail,  completeness,  and  accuracy.  Price,  50 
cents,  paper  covers. 

Tourists9  Guide  to  the  San  Juan  Mines. 

Contains  full  description  of  all  the  Mining  localities  discovered  within  the  past  two  years,  their  extraordinary  richness, 
and  Routes  of  Travel  thither.  Full  of  information  of  practical  importance  to  every  miner  and  traveler  ;  nlso  describes  the 
following  topics  :  Beauty  of  Scenery.  Hot  Springs.  vVagon  Wheel  Gap,  Elevation  of  Mountains,  Towns,  Rates  of  Fare, 
Expenses  of  Living.  Prices  Paid  for  Ore.  Miners'  Outfits,  The  Famous  Pagosa  Springs.  Freight  Charges.  Reduction  Works, 
How  to  locate  a  Claim.  Market  Prices  of  Good*  in  principal  towns  of  San  Juan,  etc..  etc.;  all  about  the  new  Mines  at  Lake 
City,  Silverton.  Ouray,  Mineral  City,  P.irrott  City,  and  Kosita  ;  Mining  Laws  ot  the  United  States,  and  of  Colorado  ;  all,  in 
fact  that  a  Miner  can  possibly  wish  to  know.  Accompanied  with  a  handsome  colored  MAP  OF  ROUTES  TO  COLORADO 
FKOM  THE  EAST.  Price,  50  cents,  paper  covers. 


In  preparation.  Devo'ed  to  a  full  description  of  all  the  Health  and  Pleasure  Resorts.  Parks,  Mountains,  Springs.  Mines, 
Towns,  Scenery,  etc..  of  Colorado.  Will  be  magnificently  illustrated,  and  contain  over  25O  pages  of  reading  of  exceeding 
interest.  Will  be  announced  for  publication  as  early  as  possible. 

All  the  above  Guides  and  Maps  for  sale  on  all  Railroad  Trains  in  the  West,  or  sent  by  mail,  on  receipt  of  price,  by 
addressing 

HENHY  T.  WILLIAMS,  Publisher, 

46  Beekman  St.,  Hew  York. 

Also  for  sale  at  PUBLISHERS'  AGENCIES, 


BARKALOW  BROS., 

Omaha,  Neb. 

JANSEN,  McCLURG  &  CO., 

Chicago,  111. 


RICHARDS  &  CO., 

Denver,  Col. 

A.  ROMAN  &  CO., 

San  Francisco,  Cal. 


E.  DENISON, 

Sacramento,  Cal. 

TRUBNER  &  CO., 

London,  Eng. 


THE    MOST   BEAUTIFUL   BOOK    OF   WESTERN    SCENERY 

2  R      ISSUE  3D  . 


The  Most  Complete,  Accurate  and  Reliable  Trans- 
Continental  Guide  Ever  Known. 


Officially  Endorsed  by  the  Pacific  R.  R.  Companies. 


TESTIMONIALS. 


GENERAL  TICKET  OFFICE  UNION  PACIFIC  R.  R. ) 
Omaha,  Neb.,  Feb.,  16,  1876.     ) 

Having  examined  the  proof-sheets  and  illustrations  of 
your  new  "  Pacific  Tourist,  and  Guide  of  Travel  Across  the 
Continent,"  we  take  pleasure  in  saying  that  the  book  con- 
veys more  detailed  in  formation  of  the  Union  and  Central 
Pacific  R.  R.  Line,  and  the  Country  through  which  it  passes, 
than  any  publication  of  similar  character  we  have  ever  seen. 
To  those  intending  to  settle,  the  miner,  the  tourist,  the 
health  and  pleasure  seeker,  it  is  an  especially  valuable  and 
reliable  guide.  Hoping  it  will  find  the  ready  sale  it  merits, 
we  are  yours  truly. 

TH'OS.  L.  KIMBALL,  G.  P.  and  T.  Agent. 

LAND  DEPARTMENT  UNION  PACIFIC  R.  R.  Co. ) 
Omaha,  Neb.,  Feb   17.  1876.      I 

I  have  examined  the  prospectus  and  proof-sheets  of  your 
"  Pacific  Tourist,"  and  can  state  without  hesitation  that  the 
work  meets  my  unqualified  approval.  Your  book  will  sup- 
ply a  Ion?  felt  want  for  a  complete  and  reliable  Guide  to 
those  crossing  the  Continent.  I  am  glad  you  have  under- 
taken such  a  work;  very  few  are  so  well  qualified  by  per- 
sonal experience  and  observation  of  this  great  region,  to 
know  its  attractions  and  resources. and  able  to  present  them 
in  a  clear  and  concise  manner.  Your  work  has  my  must 
hearty  commendation,  and  I  am  confident  you  will  have 
the  abundant  success  your  enterprise  and  efforts  deserve. 
Yours  truly,  O.  F.  DA  Vie!,  Land  Com. 

PULLMAN  PACIFIC  CAR  Co. ) 
Omalia,  Neb.,  March  11,  1876.  f 

I  am  glad  to  know  that  you  have  decided  to  publish  a  com- 
prehensive and  complete  work  for  the  guidance  of  the 
thousands  who  vi>it  our  Western  country  in  pursuit  of 
health  and  pleasure,  and  I  will  say  in  all  sincerity  that  I 
know  of  no  person  more  competent  than  yourself  for  this 
work,  and  I  hope  your  fondest  expectations  will  be  more 
than  realized. 

Yours  truly,  L.  M.  BENNETT,  Supt. 

CENTRAL  PACIFIC  R.  R. ) 
San  Francisco,  Cal.,  Feb.  29,  1876.  I 

H.  T.  WILLIAMS,  Esq: — We  take  pleasure  in  noticing 
your  efforts  in  the  publication  of  a  new  and  improved  Guide 
and  Hand  Book  for  the  use  of  regular  passengers  and  tour- 
ists traveling  over  the  Overland  or  Pacific  R.  R.  Line,  and 
to  places  of  resort,  interest  or  curiosity  in  California  and 
Nevada.  From  proofs  of  your  work  which  we  have  exam- 
ined, we  jddge  that  the  same,  when  complete,  will  prove 
satisfactory  to  the  public,  and  we  trust  that  it  will  meet  with 
ready  sale.  Very  respectfully, 

T.  H.  GOODMAN,  G.  P.  A.  and  T.  A. 
I  cheerfully  endorse  the  above, 

A.  N.  TOWNE,  Gen'l  Supt. 


MR.     .HENRY      1       WILLIAMS: — J.     a  imgiy     wen 

pleased  with  The  Pacific  Tourist;  the  illustrations  are  of 
remarkable  beauty,  and  the  descriptions  of  scenery  are 
very  interesting. 

It  is  in  all  respects  the  best  volume  yet  produced,  relat- 
ing to  Travel  and  Scenery  of  the  Far  West;  and  of  the 
Pacific  Railroad,  in  particular,  it  is  undoubtedly  the  most 
fu!',  accurate  and  complete  Guide  1  have  ever  seen. 

I  consider  it  indispensable  to  every  traveler  to  Califor- 
nia; a  great  credit  to  the  country,  the  Publisher,  nml  the 
Railroad.  (signed,)  T.  SICKELS,  Chief  Engineer. 


CHICAGO,  BURLINGTON  &  QUINCY  R.  R  I 
Chicago.  Sept   12.  1876.      I 

Having  carefully  examined  your  '•  Pacific  Tourist"  and 
Guide  across  the  Continent,  I  have  no  hesitation  in  pro- 
nouncing it  a  "grand  success." 

It  is  full  of  interesting  information  and  valuable  statis- 
tics, and  I  cheerfully  recommend  it  to  the  Traveler  and 
Tourist. 

D.  W.  HITCHCOCK,  Gen'l  Passenger  Agent. 


CHICAGO,  ROCK  ISLAND  &  PACIFIC  R.  R.  1 
Chicago.  AugustSt,  1876.      I 

I  am  in  receipt  of  your  Illustrated  Trans.  Continental  R. 
R.  Guide,  and  will  say  that  it  is  the  handsomest,  most  com- 
plete, accurate  and  reliable  Overland  Guide  that  I  have  yet 
seen.  The  Engravings  are  well  executed,  and  the  scenery 
selected  for  Illustrations,  the  finest  011  the  route. 

I  am  confident  that  your  efforts  to  furnish  Tourists  with 
a  correct  and  readable  Guide,  will  insure  its  success. 

A.  M.  SMITH,  Gen'l  Passenger  Agent. 


CHICAGO,  BURLINGTON  &  QUINCY  R.  R.  I 
Chicago,  Oct.  6,  1876.     I 

Allow  me  to  express  a  hearty  appreciation  of  your 
"  Pacific  Tourist." 

As  a  Guide  to  the  Pacific,  it  is  far  in  advance  of  any 
other  work  of  similar  character  that  has  come  to  my  notice, 
and  one  that  you  may  justlv  be  proud  of. 

It  is  replete  with  valuable  information  to  the  traveler, 
and  so  interspersed  with  excellent  miscellany,  I  unlike  other 
so-called  Guides.)  that  the  reader  can  not  fail  to  become 
interested,  and  close  with  a  verdict  of  "  well  done." 
SAMUEL  POWELL.  Gen'l  Ticket  Agent  C.,  B.  &  Q.  R.  R. 
Also,  Sec'y,  Gen'l  Ticket  and  Pass.  Agent's 

Association  of  U.  S. 


RAILROADS,  THE  PRESS,  AND  PUBLIC  MEN. 


"UNION  PACIFIC  RAILROAD  Co.,  \ 

OMAHA,  NEB.,  May  30, 1876. ) 

Mr.  Henry  T  Williams: 

I  consider  THE  PACIFIC  TOURIST  a  very  complete 
volume,  indispensable  to  the  overland  passenger,  and  a 
book  that  every  library  should  contain.  The  information 
it  gives  is  correct  and  concisely  stated,  while  the  illustra- 
tions are  very  true  and  beautiful,  forming  a  most  attractive 
feature  of  the  work.  You  should  be  liberally  rewarded  for 
the  paius  aud  expense  you  have  been  at  in  producing  it. 

J.  J.  DICKEY, 
Superintendent  Telegraph  Department." 

"OFFICE  CHICAGO  &  NORTH- WESTERN  RAILROAD,  Co.,  \ 
CHICAGO,  June  3,  1876. J 

You  have  made  a  Guide  that  you  should  be  proud  of.  and 
I  trust  that  you  will  be  amply  repaid  for  your  work.  I  sin- 
cerely hope  for  its  success. 

W.  H.  STENNETT, 
General  Passenger  Agent." 


"  Office  of  U.  S.  Geological  and  Geographical  Survey 
of  the  Territories, 

WASHINGTON,  June  10,  1876. 
DEAR  SIR: 

Your  Guide  Book  is  splendid.  Nothing  like  it  ever 
got  out  on  this  Continent.  It  is  a  world  of  information  in 
regard  to  the  Far  West.  It  will  be  useful,  not  only  to  the 
traveler,  but  to  all  others,  as  a  condensed  library  of  infor- 
mation about  the  West.  Yours  sincerely, 

F.  V.  HAYDEN." 

"MICHIGAN  CENTRAL  RAILROAD  Co.,        1 
CHICAGO,  May  29,  1876.  I 

I  thank  you  for  an  opportunity  to  see  '  WILLIAMS'  PA- 
CIFIC TOURISTS'  GUIDE.'  It  makes  a  verv  creditable  ap- 
pearance, and  will  meet  the  wants  of  all  who  are  searching 
for  a  correct  guide  to  the  many  points  of  interest  upon  our 
GREAT  TRANS-CONTINENTAL  ROUTE.  I  wish  you  much 
success  in  the  undertaking.  Yours  truly, 

HENRY  C.  WENTWORTH, 
General  Passenger  Agent." 

"CHICAGO,  BURLINGTON  &  QUINCY  RAILROAD  Co..      ) 
BOSTON,  June  1,  1876.  ) 

Your  Guide  is  very  finely  gotten  up,  and  is  ahead  of  any- 
thing of  the  kind  I  have  yet  seen. 

E.  P.  RIPLEY, 
General  Eastern  Agent." 


"  MICHIGAN  CENTRAL  RAILROAD,         ) 
BOSTON,  June  6,  1876.  I 

I  have  examined  your 'PACIFIC  TOURIST,'  and  take 
pleasure  in  commending  it  to  trans-continental  travelers, 
not  only  as  an  accurate  Guide  Book,  but  as  a  work  well  cal- 
culated to  while  away  hours  which  become  too  heavy  for 
comfort.  The  work  is  well  edited,  and  is  worthy  of  a  place, 
not  only  in  the  hands  of  the  traveler,  but  on  the  shelves  of 
the  private  library.  I  hope  your  labors  will  meet  with  sat- 
isfactory reward. 

J.  Q.  A.  BEAN, 
General  Eastern  Agent." 


"  We  are  surprised  at  the  amount  of  information  it  con- 
tains. The  volume  contains  more  matter  than  the  com- 
bined issues  of  Norilhoff's  California,  Picturesque  America, 
and  Crolutt's  book.  Its  illustrations  of  western  scenery 
and  travel,  in  numbers,  beauty  and  accuracy,  exceed  those 
of  any  volume  ever  published.  The  railroad  companies 
have  unqualifiedly  indorsed  it  as  the  most  accurate  and  le- 
llable  guide  ever  seen." 

AMERICAN  BOOKSELLER,  N.  Y. 

"The  Pacific  Tourist  is  singularly  full  and  complete." 
THE  EVENIKG  POST,  N.  Y. 

"  THE  PACIFIC  TOURIST  is  as  its  editor  claims,  the  costliest 
and  handsomest  hook  of  the  sort  yet  issued.  The  descrip- 
tions are  well  written,  and  wood  engravings  after  good  art- 
ists are  very  handsome.  Mr.  Williams  lias  done  a  great 
deal  of  traveling,  spent  a  considerable  amount  of  money 
in  getting  up  the  Guide,  and  has  been  very  competently 
aided  by  tourists  and  journalists  of  experience." 

SPRINGFIELD  REPUBLICAN,  (MASS.) 

"It  will'not  disappoint  expectations  in  any  respect,  its 
only  fault  being  that  its  contents  are  of  so  comprehensive  a 
kind,  that  the  intending  tourist  will,  likely  enough,  sutler 
from  an  embarrassment  of  riches." 

DAILY  INQUIRER,  PHILADELPHIA,  PA. 

"  This  Guide  ranks  among  the  very  best  efforts  ever  issued. 
Its  richness  and  completeness  in  illustrations,  information 
and  descriptions,  can  only  be  realized  by  an  examination 
of  the  work.  The  ground  traveled  over  and  described  is 
immense.  It  is  doubtful  if  any  other  work  offers  so  much 
valuable  and  useful  information  to  travelers  in  so  suc- 
cinct and  attractive  a  form.  We  may  say  that  it  gives,  in- 
deed, too  much  for  the  money.  The  views  are  profuse  and 
notably  good.  The  amount  of  illustration  in  the  book  con- 
sidering its  cost,  is  ab:-olute]y  marvelous,  and  the  ability  and 
energy  Mr.  Williams  has  shown  in  getting  it  up  is  some- 
thing to  be  admired." 

PUBLISHERS'  WEEKLY,  NEW  YORK  CITY. 

"  At  last  there  is  a  Guide  Book  to  the  Pacific  Coast,  every 
way  worthy  of  the  wonderful  scenery,  and  inexhaustible 
resources  of  the  western  part  of  the  American  Continent, 
and  the  saaacity,  skill  and  money  that  have  given  us  the 
Pacific  Railroads. 

THE  PACIFIC  TOURIST  is  edited  by  the  one  man  in  this 
country,  who  is  competent  to  furnish  such  a  Guide  Book. 
Mr.  Williams  has,  in  persona]  travel  and  by  various  excur- 
sions, made  himself  personally  familiar  with  the  whole 
ground.  The  volume  is  tilled  with  all  possible  information  of 
value  to  those  intending  to  travel  to  the  Pacific,  and  is  so 
interestingly  written,  and  so  lavishly  and  beautifully  illus- 
trated by  the  best  artists,  as  to  make  it  a  volume  worthy  any 
library.  Time  and  space  utterly  fail  to  describe  details. 
The  book  only  needs  to  be  seen  to  be  appreciated." 

THE  DAILY  UNION,  SPRINGFIELD,  MASS. 

"Indispensable  to  persons  traveling  in  the  West.  It  is 
brought  out  in  excellent,  even  sumptuous  style,  and  is  very 
copiously  illustrated  with  pictures  of  interesting  places  and 
characters. 

Every  sortof  information  useful  and  entertaining,  is  givon 
in  regard  to  the  whole  region  of  the  Pacific  Slope,  thus 
making  the  book  of  the  greatest  value  to  tourists  and  busi- 
ness men." 

THE  DAILY  GRAPHIC,  N.  Y. 


San  Francisco,  Cal. 

HINKLE'S  PASSENGER  AND  BAG'GAGE  ELEVATOR. 


SHOdfiUS  -s^s 


COVERS  ONE  ENTIRE  BLOCK. 


Overland  Travelers  may  secure  Rooms  in  advance  of 
arrival,  by  Telegraph  at  our 


JOHNSON  &  CO, 


PROPRIETORS, 


Corner  Market  and  Montgomery  Streets. 


THE  BRAND  PACIFIC  HOTEL, 

OHICA.GO. 
Over  500  Rooms — 250  with  Baths  and   Closets. 


ONE    OF    THE 


Largest,  Best  Furnished  *  Finest  Ventilated 


I1ST 


Occupies  an  Entire  Square,  having  a  frontage  North,  South,  East 
and  West  of  Over  One  Thousand  Feet. 


of 


of 


I 


PRICES  OF  ROOMS,  WITH  BOARD, 


$3.00,  $3.50,  $4.00,  $4.50  &  $5.00  per  Day,  according  to  Location. 


THE    TA.BLE    A.1STD    SERVICE 

N.  IS.  —  A  Reduction  will  be  made  from,  the  above  prices  to  parties  remaining,  a 

vveek  or  more. 


V3T  Rooms  can  foe  secured,  stating  Price  of  same,  by  Telegraph,  at  our  expense. 

JOHN  B.  DRAKE  &  CO., 

PROPRIETORS. 


Copyright,  1876,  by  Henry  T.  Williams. 


I 


PALACE-CAR  LIFE  ON  THE  PACIFIC  RAILROAD. 


WILLIAMS' 


OF 


The  Atlantic  to  the  Pacific  Ocean. 

CONTAINING  FULL  DESCRIPTIONS  OF 

RAILROAD   ROUTES    ACROSS    THE    CONTINENT,   ALL    PLEASURE    RESORTS     AND    PLACES    OF    MOST 

NOTED   SCENERY   IN   THE   FAR   WEST,   ALSO   OF   ALL   CITIES,   TOWNS,   VILLAGES, 

U.  8.-  FORTS,    SPRINGS,    LAKES,   MOUNTAINS, 

ROUTES   OF    SUMMER  TRAVEL,  BEST   LOCALITIES   FOR   HUNTING,   FISHING,   SPORTING,   AND   ENJOY- 

MENT,  WITH   ALL   NEEDFUL   INFORMATION   FOR   THE   PLEASURE   TRAVELER, 

MINER,   SETTLER,   OR   BUSINESS   MAN. 

A  COMPLETE  TRAVELER'S  GUIDE 


AND  ALL  POINTS  OF  BUSINESS  OR  PLEASURE  TRAVEL  TO 

CALIFORNIA,  COLORADO,  NEBRASKA,  WYOMING,  UTAH,  NEVADA,  MONTANA,  THE  MINES  AND  MINING 
OF    THE    TERRITORIES,    THE    LANDS    OF    THE    PACIFIC    COAST,    THE    WONDERS    OF    THE 
ROCKY  MOUNTAINS,  THE    SCENERY  OF   THE   SIERRA   NEVADAS,  THE   COL- 
ORADO  MOUNTAINS,    THE    BIG   TREES,    THE    GEYSERS,    THE 
YOSEMITE,   AND    THE   YELLOWSTONE. 

BY 


HENRY  T.  WILLIAMS,  EDITOR. 


WITH  SPECIAL  CONTRIBUTIONS  BY 

PROF.   F.  V.  HAYDEN,  CLARENCE  KING,    CAPT.   BUTTON,  A.  C.  PEALE,    JOAQUIN 
MILLER,  J.  B.  DAVIS,  F.  E.  SHEARER. 

ILLUSTRATIONS  BT 

THOMAS  MORAN,  A.  C.  WARREN,  W.  SNYDER,  F.  SCHELL,  H.  W.  TROY,  A.  WILL. 
ENGRAVINGS  BY  MEEDER  &  CHUBB. 

Price,  $1.50  Railroad  Edition,  Flexible  Covers,  278  pp. 
"       $2.00  Full  Cloth,  Stiff  Covers,  320  pp. 

NEW  YORK: 

HENRY    T.    WILLIAMS,    PUBLISHER. 

1878. 


Clark  W.  Bryan  &  Co.,  Printers,  Electrotypers  and  Binders,  Springfield,  Mass. 


PREFACE. 


FEW  can  form  an  adequate  idea  of  the  immense  field  required  to  be  covered  by  a  Trans- Continental  Guide. 
The  amount  of  labor,  personal  travel,  and  research,  all  of  utmost  faithfulness  and  accuracy,  is  beyond 
expression  or  terms  of  comparison.  Think  of  the  wonderful  results  accomplished  in  a  few  years,  by  the 
opening  of  the  Pacific  Railroad.  In  1850,  the  Far  West  was  unknown  and  unexplored.  In  1860,  its  total 
population  was  but  619,000,  most  of  whom  were  residents  of  the  Pacific  Coast.  In  1870,  the  population  had 
doubled.  In  .1876,  seven  years  after  the  opening  of  the  Pacific  liailroad,  see  how  wonderful  the  change. 
The  population  of  the  Far  Western  States  and  Territories  had  again  increased  40  per  cent.  And  the 
Far  West  now  includes  this  immense  field  reached  only  by  this  Railroad.  Population  in  1875,  1,524,- 
703;  area  of  square  miles,  1,445,332;  area  of  square  acres,  1,332,744,755.  The  entire  capital  now 
invested  in  Railroad  enterprises  in  this  vast  region  now  exceeds  $750,000,000.  Over  300  towns  and  sta- 
tions have  arisen  on  the  great  Trans-Continental  Route  and  its  branches.  The  annual  receipts  exceed 
•$30,000,000  a  year,  and  the  number  of  passengers,  both  through  and  local,  exceed  1,000,000.  The  tide  of 
pleasure  travel  has  turned  westward,  and  Europe  clasps  hands  with  China  and  Japan  across  our  Continent. 
Thus  have  seven  short  years  turned  the  travel  of  the  world. 

This  volume  represents  over  nine  months'  actual  time  spent  in  personal  travel — over  2,500  miles — getting  with  faith- 
fulness all  possible  facts  of  interest  and  the  latest  information.  Over  40  artists,  engravers  and  correspondents  have 
been  employed,  and  the  whole  represents  an  outlay  of  nearly  $20,000  :  thus  making  it  not  only  the  most  elaborate, 
but  the  costliest  and  handsomest  Guide  Book  in  the  world.  No  other  volume  in  the  world  contains 
so  many  views  of  the  scenery  of  the  West.  The  Editor  and  his  Assistants  have,  in  the  past  seven  years, 
personally  traveled  over  this  great  Route  more  than  30  times.  More  than  100,000  miles  of  travel  on  the 
American  Continent  have  been  traversed  by  the  Editor,  who  during  eight  years'  active  service  as  an 
associate  editor  of  The  New  York  Independent,  has  conducted  four  large  editorial  parties  to  the  wonders  of 
the  West,  representing  over  150  journals  and  a  total  circulation  of  over  3,000,000. 

In  this  volume  is  combined  every  possible  fact  to  guide  and  instruct  the  pleasure  traveler,  business  man, 
miner,  or  settler,  who  turns  his  face  westward.  Herein  are  found  every  Railroad  Station,  and  time  of- the 
principal  Railroads,  all  Stage  Routes,  Distances,  and  Fare  to  all  principal  points ;  all  the  wonders  of  Western 
JScenery,  Springs,  Mountains,  Canons,  Lakes,  Deserts,  Rocks,  and  Gardens  are  here  described  in  detail. 

The  trans-ocean  traveler  from  Europe  to  the  Pacific  will  find  all  needful  information  of  Routes  on  the  Pacific 
Ocean ;  and  the  traveler  eastward  from  Australia  and  Japan  will  find  invaluable  help  for  his  route  to  New  York. 

Professor  F.  V.  Hayden,  the  celebrated  leader  of  the  United  States  Geological  Exploring  Expedition,  has 
contributed  specially  to  these  pages  an  admirably  condensed  account  of  the  Wonders  of  the  Yellowstone ; 
and  with  the  assistance  of  A.  C.  Peale,  this  Guide  is  the  only  publication  which  gives  the  most  detailed 
and  accurate  information  of  Routes — how  to  reach  it. 

The  Big  Bonanza  Mines  are  also  described  in  glowing  language,  and  add  to  the  interest  of  these  pages. 

The  Representative  Men  of  the  Far  West,  who  have  been  the  energetic  projectors  and  supporters  of  all  its 
active  and  successful  enterprises,  are  illustrated  in  our  pages. 

I  acknowledge,  with  pleasure,  special  thanks  for  the  services  of  Mr.  J.  B.  Davis,  late  editor  of  The  Common- 
wealth, Topeka,  Kansas,  and  F.  E  Shearer,  of  San  Francisco,  who  have  done  so  much  by  personal  travel  and 
effort  to  make  this  Guide  complete ;  also  to  G.  W.  Savage  of  Salt  Lake  City,  for  photographs. 

As  the  Tourist  looks  with  pleasure  upon  the  sketches  of  Thomas  Moran,  who  more  than  any  other 
American  artist  has  illustrated  the  Glories  of  the  West,  or  upon  the  scenes  illustrated  from  the  paintings  of 
Bierstadt,  America's  favorite  painter,  and  the  sketches  by  Warren,  Will,  and  others,  all  from  life  and  accurate 
in  every  detail,  let  him  give  due  credit  to  Art  for  these  happy  embellishments  of  nature.  Wishing  every 
traveler  "  bon  voyage,"  I  am,  cordially, 

HENRY  T.  WILLIAMS,  Editor. 


AMERICA'S  GREATEST  WONDER! 

The  Pacific  Railroad. 


HER  grandest  scenery  borders  its  magnificent 
pathway ;  thither  is  her  most  popular  route  of 
pleasure  travel,  and  most  celebrated  health  resorts ; 
and  along  these  iron  lines,  the  monument  of 
financial  intrepidity  and  daring  engineering  skill, 
there  is  opened  a  new  West,  a  Continent  of  itself, 
richer  in  wealth  than  the  most  sanguine  of  hopes ; 
and  hither,  in  so  short  space  of  time,  has  poured 
so  immense  a  volume  of  trade,  as  to  change  the 
entire  commerce  of  the  world. 

Industries  have  arisen  by  the  opening  of  this 
great  trans-continental  line  which  were  never  ex- 
pected or  dreamed  of  by  the  projectors ;  the 
richest  of  mineral  discoveries  and  the  most  en- 
couraging of  agricultural  settlements  have  alike 
resulted,  where  little  was  thought  of,  and  stran- 
gest of  all,  the  tide  of  travel  from  the  European 
and  the  Asiatic  countries,  and  the  distant  isles  of 
the  Pacific  Ocean,  once  the  exclusive  privilege  of 
English  vessels  through  the  Suez  Canal,  or  around 
the  Continent  of  Africa,  actually  now  crosses  the 
American  Continent  with  far  more  speed  and 
greater  safety.  The  exclamations  of  American 
and  European  tourists,  after  a  passage  over  its 
magnificent  route  are  alike, — "  The  greatest  wonder 
of  the  nineteenth  century  !  " 

Curiosities  of  History. — To  whom  the 
honor  belongs  of  first  proposing  the  plan  of  a  rail- 


road to  the  Pacific,  history  can  never  fully  deter- 
mine. Whitney  offered  to  build  it  for  a  grant  of 
thirty  miles  in  width  along  its  track,  and  it  was 
looked  upon  as  the  freaky  fancy  of  a  monomaniac. 
Benton,  too,  the  famous  statesman,  was  once 
aglow  with  enthusiasm  over  the  subject,  and  be- 
gan to  agitate  the  project,  but  it  was  considered 
the  harmless  fancy  of  an  old  politician.  And  in 
1856,  when  General  Fremont  was  nominated, 
the  Platform  of  the  National  Republican  Party 
contained  a  clause  in  its  favor — but  it  was  re- 
garded as  a  piece  of  cheap  electioneering  "  bun- 
combe," and  decidedly  absurd.  Perhaps  the 
earliest  record  of  a  devoted  admirer  of  this  project 
was  that  of  John  Plumbe,  in  1836.  He  was  a 
Welshman  by  birth,  an  American  by  education 
and  feeling,  a  civil  engineer  by  profession,  and 
lived  at  Dubuque,  la.  He  began  to  agitate 
the  project  of  a  railroad  from  the  great  lakes 
across  the  Continent  to  the  Territory  of  Oregon. 
From  that  time  to  his  death,  in  California,  sev- 
eral years  after  the  discovery  of  gold,  he  never 
failed  to  urge  his  project ;  earnestly  and  ardently 
laboring  to  bring  it  before  Congress,  and  attempt- 
ing to  secure  a  beginning  of  the  great  work.  To 
far-seeing  statesmen,  the  idea  naturally  occurred 
that  in  course  of  time  there  would  arise  on  the 
Pacific  Coast  another  empire  of  trade  and  com- 


6 


merce  and  industry,  either  at  San  Francisco,  or 
the  Puget  Sound,  which  would  in  time,  become 
the  rival  of  New  York  and  the  East,  and  at 
once  the  project  was  taken  up  and  encouraged  by 
Carver,  Wilkes,  Benton,  Whitney,  Burton  and 
others ;  but  all  such  ideas  met  with  indifference 
and  ridicule. 

In  1844,  when  Fremont  made  his  famous  ex- 
plorations across  the  plains,  which  has  earned 
him  so  world-wide  a  reputation,  so  little  was 
known  of  the  geography  of  that  country,  that  his 
reports  were  considered  an  immense  acquisition 
to  the  collection  of  books  of  physical  knowledge 
of  our  country.  This  sectipn  was  fully  2,300 
miles  in  distance,  entirely  vacant,  no  settlement, 
entirely  occupied  by  roving  bands  of  Indians, 
and  the  undisturbed  home  of  the  buffalo  and 
antelope.  In  that  year  Chicago  was  but  an 
obscure  village,  on  a  prairie  without  a  single 
inhabitant.  And  not  a  single  line  of  railroad 
was  built  from  the  Atlantic  westward  beyond 
the  Alleghanies,  and  on  the  Pacific  only  one 
American  flag  covered  a  feeble  colony.  The  dis- 
covery of  gold  in  California  had  its  effect  in 
directing  public  attention  to  the  unknown  riches 
of  its  Western  border;  and  at  last  Congress 
woke  up  to  the  need  of  thorough  explorations 
and  investigations.  In  March,  1853,  Congress 
made  its  first  appropriation  to  explore  the  Far 
West,  and  ascertain  if  there  was  really  a  practi- 
cable route  to  the  Pacific.  In  1854,  Congress  ap- 
propriated $190,000  additional ;  and,  as  a  result, 
nine  surveying  parties  were  organized  and  pur- 
sued their  work.  Ten  routes  were  surveyed 
between  the  32d  and  49th  parallel  of  latitude ; 
the  eastern  ends  ranging  all  the  way  from  Fulton, 
Ark.,  to  St.  Paul,  Minn., — and  the  western  ter- 
minal points  from  San  Diego  to  Puget  Sound. 
The  lengths  of  these  routes  varied  from  1,533  to 
2,290  miles. 

The  continued  gold  discoveries  brought  an  im- 
mense flow  of  population  to  the  Pacific  Coast,  and 
California,  more  alive  to  the  necessities  of  such 
roads  than  the  East,  after  numerous  agitations,  at 
last  really  made  the  first  initiatory  experiment. 
Early  in  1861  there  was  organized  at  Sacramento, 
Cal.,  the  Central  Pacific  Railroad  Company,  who 
by  the  appointment  of  T.  D.  Judah,  as  chief  en- 
gineer, began  the  first  and  most  thorough  railroad 
survey  ever  made  on  the  Sierras. 

Congress  then  woke  up,  and  in  July,  1862,  the 
first  national  charter  was  granted.  As  a  curious 
fact  in  the  act — the  utmost  limit  of  time  allowed 
for  the  completion  of  the  road  was  fixed  at  July 
1, 1876.  In  October,  1863,  the  preliminary  organ- 
ization of  the  company  was  completed.  A  capi- 
tal of  one  hundred  million  dollars  authorized,  and 
the  first  contract  for  construction  begun  in  1864, 
but  no  practical  progress  was  made  till  1865, 
when  on  the  5th  of  November,  the  first  ceremony 
of  breaking  ground,  at  Omaha,  was  celebrated. 
Then  was  begun  the  great  work;  the  rapid 


progress  of  which  afterward  was  a  world-wide 
sensation,  astounding  engineers,  capitalists,  and 
even  governments,  with  the  almost  reckless  dar- 
ing of  construction. 

Necessity  and  Benefits  to  the   Govern- 
ment. 

From  1850  to  1860,  the  population  of  the  far 
Western  States  and  Territories  increased  from  a 
mere  handful  to  the  large  number  of  554,301 
persons,  and  in  the  whole  area  of  2,000  miles 
there  had  been  built  only  232  miles  of  telegraph, 
and  32  miles  of  railway.  The  United  States 
Government  had  established  forts  and  trading 
stations,  and  the  year  187O  saw  the  completion 
of  the  Pacific  Railroad  line,  Congress  and  the 
whole  country  were  astonished  to  see  the  rapid 
rate  of  development,  and  the  enormous  expense 
of  government  military  service.  In  that  year  the 
population  had  increased  to  1,011,971,  there  had 
been  built  over  13,000  miles  of  telegraph  lines ; 
there  were  completed  over  4,000  miles  of  rail- 
road ;  all  representing  the  gigantic  capital  of 
$363,750,000.  In  the  reports  of  distinguished 
statesmen  to  the  United  States  Senate,  occur 
these  remarks  which  show  the  spirit  of  the  times 
then.  Senator  Stewart  of  California,  says  : 

"  The  cost  of  the  overland  service  for  the  whole 
period,  from  the  acquisition  of  our  Pacific  Coast 
possessions  down  to  the  completion  of  the  Pacific 
Railroad  was  $8,000,000  per  annum,  and  con- 
stantly increasing." 

As  a  curious  fact  of  national  economy,  these 
figures  will  show  the  result  of  the  Pacific  Rail- 
road in  saving  to  the  United  States  Government : 

Since  the  building  of  the  road,  the  cost  of 
transportation  to  the  government  has  been  as 
follows : 

Amount  cash  paid  to  railroad  companies  for 
one-half  charge  of  transportation  per 
year,  about  $1,200.000  per  annum,  say  for 
7  years— 1869  to  1876,  $8,400,000 

The  cost  to  the  government  of  military  trans- 
portation in  1870,  was  $8,000,000  per 
annum,  and  increasing  over  $1,000,000  per 
year.  In  1876,  would  have  been  over  $14,- 
000,000.  Average  for  7  years,  at  §10,000,000 
per  year,  $70,000,000 

Total  saving  in  7  years  to  United  States  Govern- 
ment, $62,600,000 

The  actual  amount  of  interest  during  this  time 
paid  by  the  United  States  Treasury  on 
bonds  issued  in  behalf  of  the  railroad, 
average  interest,  $3,897,129  per  year.  Total 
for  7  years,  $27,279,906 

Net  profit  over  all  expenses  to  United  States,  $42,320,094 
These  figures  do  not  include  vast  amounts  of 
incidental  items  which  would  have  been  of  incal- 
culable trouble,  or  immense  expense  to  the 
United  States,  such  as  the  indemnities  constant- 
ly being  paid  by  the  United  States  for  destruc- 
tion of  life  and  private  property  by  Indians; 
also  depredations  of  Indians  on  property  in  gov- 
ernment service,  increased  mail  facilities  and 
decreased  mail  expenses,  prevention  of  Indian 


wars,  the  rapid  sale  of  public  lands,  and  the 
energetic  development  of  the  mining  interests  of 
all  the  Territories. 

If  these  can  all  be  correctly  estimated,  the  net 
gain  to  the  United  States  by  the  building  of  the 
Pacific  Railroad,  is  over  Jifty  millions  of  dollars. 

Hon.  Henry  Wilson,  in  a  speech  before  the 
Senate,  Thirty-seventh  Congress,  boldly  said : 
"  I  give  no  grudging  vote  in  giving  away  either 
money  or  land.  I  would  sink  $100,000,000  to 
build  the  road,  and  do  it  most  cheerfully,  and 
think  I  had  done  a  great  thing  for  my  country. 
What  are  $75,000,000  or  $100,000,000  in  opening 
a  railroad  across  the  central  regions  of  this  Con- 
tinent, that  shall  connect  the  people  of  the 
Atlantic  and  Pacific,  and  bind  us  together? 
Nothing.  As  to  the  lands,  I  do  not  grudge 
them." 

It  is  a  significant  fact,  that  while  the  heat  and 
activity  of  Congressional  discussion  was  most 
earnest  in  aid  and  encouragement  of  the  project, 
the  following  sentiments  were  unanimously  enter- 
tained by  all  the  members  of  Congress : 

1.  That  the  road  was  a  necessity  to  the  govern- 
ment, and  if  not  built  by  private  capital,  must  be 
built  in  time  with  public  funds  alone. 

2.  To  encourage  the  capitalists  of  the  country 
to  come  forward  and  aid  the  project,  the  govern- 
ment were   willing   to  give  one-half  the  funds 
necessary  as  a  loan,  and  were  then  merely  doing 
the  least  part  of  the  whole. 

3.  That  no  expectations  were  entertained  that 
the  road  would  ever,  from  its  own  means,  be  able 
to    refund  the    advance    made   by    the    United 
States,  and  no  other  thought  was  ever  entertained, 
save  of  the  banefits  to  accrue  to  the  public  from 
the  opening  of  this  grand  highway  of  national 
interest.     No  expectations   were  formed   of  the 
ability  of  the    company  to   pay    or    repay    the 
interest  on  the  loan,  but  one  thought  was  con- 
sidered, that  the  building  of  the  road  was  ample 
compensation  and  service  in  its  vast  aid  to  in- 
dustry, and  its  saving  in  transportation. 

As  editor  of  this  Guide,  knowing  well  the  re- 
sources of  the  Far  West,  we  positively  assert  that 
the  government  has  already,  in  seven  years,  realized 
in  both  savings  and  sales,  enough  money  to  liquidate 
one-third  the  whole  principal,  and  accrued  interest 
of  the  government  loan,  and  in  less  than  twenty 
years  from  the  opening  of  the  road,  the  government 
gain  will  be  greater  than  the  whole  of  the  financial 
aid  it  has  ever  given.  The  Pacific  Railroad  is  the 
right-hand  saving  power  of  the  United  States. 

Discouragements.  —  Notwithstanding  all 
that  the  government  had  done  to  encourage  it 
(by  speeches),  the  work  languished.  Capitalists 
doubted  it.  The  great  war  of  the  rebellion 
attracted  the  attention  of  every  one,  and  the  gov- 
ernment, after  its  first  impulses,  grew  indifferent. 
A  few  bold  men  determined  to  work  incessantly 
for  its  completion.  And  one  of  the  results  of  the 
great  war  was  the  conviction  in  the  minds  of 


every  one — of  a  closer  Union  of  the  States. 
"  Who  knows,"  said  one,  "  but  California  and  the 
whole  Pacific  Coast  may  secede,  and  where  are  we 
then  f  We  can  do  nothing  to  retain  them.  The 
Pacific  Railroad  must  be  built.  It  shall  be  built  to 
keep  our  country  together." 

The  chief  engineer  of  the  railroad,  Gen.  G.  M. 
Dodge,  in  complimenting  the  directors  on  the  day 
of  the  completion  of  the  last  mile  of  track,  says : 

"  The  country  is  evidently  satisfied  that  you 
accomplished  wonders,  and  have  achieved  a 
work  which  will  be  a  monument  to  your  energy, 
your  ability,  and  to  your  devotion  to  the  enter- 
prise, through  all  its  gloomy,  as  well  as  bright 
periods,  for  it  is  notorious  that  notwithstanding 
the  aid  of  the  government,  there  was  so  little 
faith  in  the  enterprise,  that  its  dark  days — when 
your  private  fortunes,  and  your  all  was  staked 
on  the  success  of  the  project— far  exceeded  those 
of  sunshine,  faith  and  confidence." 

The  lack  of  confidence  in  the  project,  even  in 
the  West,  was  so  great  that  ev*n  in  localities 
which  were  to  be  specially  benefited  by  its  con- 
struction, the  laborers  even  demanded  their  pay 
before  they  would  perform  their  day's  work,  so 
little  faith  had  they  in  the  payment  of  their 
wages,  or  in  the  ability  of  the  company  to  suc- 
ceed in  their  efforts. 

Probably  no  enterprise  in  the  world  has  been 
so  maligned,  misrepresented  and  criticised  as 
this,  but  now  it  is,  by  unbiased  minds,  pro- 
nounced, almost  without  exception,  the  best 
new  road  in  the  United  States. 

Rapid  f  regress.  —  Though  chartered  in 
1862,  yet  the  first  grading  was  not  done  until 
1864,  and  the  first  rail  laid  in  July,  1865.  At 
that  time  there  was  no  railroad  communication 
from  the  East ;  a  gap  of  140  miles  existed  be- 
tween Omaha  and  Des  Moines,  and  over  this  it 
was  impossible  to  get  supplies. 

For  500  miles  westward  of  the  Missouri  River, 
the  country  was  completely  destitute  of  timber, 
fuel,  or  any  material  with  which  to  build  or 
maintain  a  road,  save  the  bare  sand  for  the  road- 
bed itself,  everything  had  to  be  transported  by 
teams  or  steamboats,  hundreds  and  thousands 
of  miles.  Labor,  and  every  thing  made  by  labor, 
was  scarce  and  high. 

Railroad  ties  were  cut  in  Michigan  and  Penn- 
sylvania, and  shipped  to  Omaha  at  a  cost,  often, 
of  $2.50  per  tie.  Even  the  splendid  engine,  of 
seventy  horse-power,  used  at  Omaha  for  the 
company's  works,  was  transported  in  wagons 
across  the  prairies  from  Des  Moines,  the  only  way 
to  get  it.  Shops  had  to  be  built,  forges  erected, 
and  machinery  put  in  place,  and  the  supplies, 
even,  for  the  subsistence  of  laborers  had  to  be 
brought  by  river  from  the  East;  yet  it  was  all 
done. 

As  the  Westerners  concisely  express  it,  "  The 
wind  work  had  all  been  done,  and  grading  note  be- 
gan." 


8 


In  1865,  40  miles  of  track  were  laid  to  Fre- 
mont. In  1866,  260  miles  were  laid.  In  1867, 
240  miles  were  laid,  which  included  the  ascent 
to  Sherman.  By  January  1,  1868,  there  had 
been  completed  540  miles.  In  1868,  to  May  10, 
1869,  555  miles  more  were  laid,  and  the  road 
finished — seven  years  in  advance  of  the  time  set 
by  Congress,  and  the  time  actually  spent  in 
construction  was  just  three  years,  six  months,  and 
ten  days. 

To  show  the  enormous  amount  of  materials 
required  in  the  Union  Pacific  Railroad  alone,  there 
were  used  in  its  construction  300,000  tons  of 
iron  rails,  1,700,000  fish-plates,  6,800,000  bolts, 
6,126,375  cross-ties,  23,505,500  spikes. 

Fast  Building. — Day  after  day  the  average 
rate  of  building  rose  from  one  to  two,  three  and 
five  miles.  Many  will  remember  the  daily  thrill 
of  excitement  as  the  morning  journals  in  the 
East  made  the  announcements  of  so  many  more 
miles  nearer  the  end,  and  as  the  number  of  com- 
pleted miles,  printed  in  the  widely  circulated 
advertisements  of  the  company,  reached  1000, 
the  excitement  became  intense,  as  the  rival  roads 
now  were  fairly  aglow  with  the  heat  of  compe- 
tition, and  so  near  each  other.  In  previous 
months  there  had  existed  a  little  engineering 
rivalry,  good  natured,  but  keen,  as  to  the  largest 
number  of  miles  each  could  lay  in  one  day.  The 
Union  Pacific  men  laid  one  day  six  miles ;  soon 
after  the  Central  followed  suit  by  laying  seven. 
The  Union  Pacific  retaliated  by  laying  seven  and 
a  half;  to  this  the  Central  sent  the  announce- 
ment that  they  could  lay  ten  miles  in  one  day ; 
to  this  Mr.  Durant,  the  vice-president,  sent  back 
a  wager  of  $10,000  that  it  could  not  be  done.  The 
pride  and  spirit  of  the  Central  Pacific  had  now 
been  challenged,  and  they  prepared  for  the  enor- 
mous contest,  one  of  extraordinary  magnitude 
and  rapidity.  The  29th  day  of  April,  1869,  was 
selected  for  the  decision  of  the  contest,  as  there 
then  remained  but  14  miles  of  track  to  bring 
a  meeting  of  the  roads  at  Promontory  Point. 

Work  began ;  the  ground  had  already  been 
graded  and  ties  placed  in  position,  and  at  the 
signal  the  cars  loaded  with  rails  moved  forward. 
Four  men,  two  on  each  side,  seize  with  their  nip- 
pers the  ends  of  the  rails,  lift  from  the  car  and 
carry  them  to  their  place ;  the  car  moves  steadily 
along  over  the  rails  as  fast  as  they  are  laid.  Im- 
mediately after  follows  a  band  of  men  who  attach 
the  plate  and  put  the  spikes  in  position ;  next  a 
force  of  Chinamen  who  drive  down  the  spikes 
solid  to  their  homes,  and  last  another  gang  of 
Chinamen  with  shovels,  picks,  etc.,  who  ballast 
the  track.  The  rapidity  of  all  these  motions, 
which  required  the  most  active  of  exercise  and 
alert  movements,  was  at  the  rate  of  144  feet  of 
track  to  every  minute.  By  1.30  p.  M.,  the  layers 
had  placed  eight  miles  of  track  in  just  six  hours. 
Resuming  work  again,  after  the  noon  rest,  the 
track-laying  progressed,  and  at  7  P.  M.,  exactly, 


the  Central  men  finished  their  task  of  10  miles, 
with  200  feet  over.  Mr.  James  Campbell,  the 
superintendent  of  the  division,  then  seizing  a 
locomotive  ran  it  over  the  ten  miles  of  new  track 
in  forty  minutes,  and  the  Union  men  were  satis- 
fied. This  was  the  greatest  feat  of  railroad 
building  ever  known  in  the  world,  and  when  it 
is  known  how  vast  the  materials  required  to  sup- 
ply this  little  stretch  of  ten  miles,  the  reader  is 
fairly  astonished  at  the  endurance  of  the  laborers. 
To  put  this  material  in  place  over  4,000  men 
had  been  constantly  employed.  The  laborers  on 
that  day  handled  25,800  cross-ties,  3,520  iron  rails, 
55,000  spikes,  7,040  fish-plates,  and  14,080  bolts, 
the  weight  of  the  whole  being  4,362,000  pounds. 
Upon  both  roads,  for  a  year  previous,  there  had 
been  remarkable  activity. 

A  total  force  of  20,000  to  25,000  workmen  all 
along  the  lines,  and  5,000  to  6,000  teams  had 
been  engaged  in  grading  and  laying  the  track  or 
getting  out  stone  or  timber.  From  500  to  600 
tons  of  materials  were  forwarded  daily  from 
either  end  of  the  lines. 

The  Sierra  Nevadas  suddenly  became  alive  with 
wood-choppers,  and  at  one  place  on  the  Truckee 
River  twenty-five  saw-mills  went  into  operation  in 
a  single  week.  Upon  one  railroad  70  to  100 
locomotives  were  in  use  at  one  time,  constantly 
bringing  materials  and  supplies.  At  one  time 
there  were  30  vessels  en  route  from  New  York 
via  Cape  Horn,  with  iron,  locomotives,  rails  and 
rolling  stock,  destined  for  the  Central  Pacific 
Railroad ;  and  it  is  a  curious  fact,  that  on  sev- 
eral consecutive  days,  more  miles  of  track  were 
ironed  by  the  railroad  companies  than  it  was 
possible  for  an  ox-team  to  draw  a  load  over. 
And  when  at  last  the  great  road  was  completed, 
the  fact  suddenly  flashed  upon  the  nation  that  a 
road  once  so  distrusted,  and  considered  too 
gigantic  to  be  possible,  was  constructed  an  actual 
distance  of  2,221  miles,  in  less  thanfve  years,  of 
which  all  but  100  miles  was  done  between 
January  1,  1866  and  May  10,  1869 — three  years, 
four  months  and  ten  days. 

Pleasure  of  Overland  Travel. — Pal- 
ace Car  Life  on  tlie  Pacific  Kail- 
road. — In  no  part  of  the  world  is  travel  made 
so  easy  and  comfortable  as  on  the  Pacific  Rail- 
road. To  travelers  from  the  East  it  is  a  con- 
stant delight,  and  to  ladies  and  families  it  is 
accompanied  with  absolutely  no  fatigue  or  discom- 
fort. One  lives  at  home  in  the  Palace  Car  with 
as  much  true  enjoyment  as  in  the  home  drawing- 
room,  and  with  the  constant  change  of  scenes 
afforded  from  the  car  window,  it  is  far  more  en- 
joyable than  the  saloon  of  a  fashionable  steamer. 
For  an  entire  week  or  more,  as  the  train  leisurely- 
crosses  the  Continent,  the  little  section  and  berth 
allotted  to  you,  so  neat  and  clean,  so  nicely  fur- 
nished and  kept,  becomes  your  home.  Here  you 
sit  and  read,  play  your  games,  indulge  in  social 
conversation  and 'glee,  and  if  fortunate  enough  to 


9 


possess  good  company  of  friends  to  join  you,  the 
overland  tour  becomes  an  intense  delight. 

The  sleeping-cars  from  New  York  to  Chicago, 
proceeding  at  their  rushing  rate  of  forty  or  more 
miles  per  hour,  give  to  travelers  no  idea  of  the 
true  comfort  of  Pullman  car  life.  Indeed  the 
first  thousand  miles  of  the  journey  to  Chicago  or 
St.  Louis  has  more  tedium  and  wearisomeness, 
and  dust  and  inconvenience  than  all  the  rest  of 
the  journey.  Do  not  judge  of  the  whole  trip  by 
these  first  days  out.  From  Chicago  westward 
to  Omaha  the  cars  are  far  finer,  and  traveling 
more  luxurious,  likewise  the  rate  of  speed  is 
slower  and  the  motion  of  the  train  more  easy  than 
on  roads  farther  east. 

At  Omaha,  as  you  view  the  long  Pacific  train 
just  ready  to  leave  the  depot  for  its  overland  trip, 
(often  over  600  feet  in  length),  giving  an  appear- 
ance of  strength,  massiveness  and  majestic  power, 
you  can  but  admit  it  is  exceedingly  beautiful  and 
impressive ;  this  feeling  is  still  more  intensified 
when  a  day  or  so  later,  alone  out  upon  the  upland 
plains,  with  no  living  object  in  sight,  as  you 
stand  at  a  little  distance  and  look  down  upon  the 
long  train,  it  seems  the  handsomest  work  of 
science  ever  mad'»  for  the  comfort  of  earth's 
people. 

The  slow  rate  ot  speed,  which  averages  but 
sixteen  to  twenty  miles  per  hour,  day  and 
night,  produces,  a  peculiarly  smooth,  gentle 
and  easy  motion,  most  soothing  and  agreeable. 
The  straight  t  :ack,  which  for  hundreds  of  miles 
is  without  ac'irve,  avoids  all  swinging  motions  of 
the  cars  ;  sidelong  bumps  are  unknown.  The 
cars  are  cor/nected  with  the  Miller  buffer  and 
platform,  and  make  a  solid  train,  without  the  dis- 
comforts of  jerks  and  jolts.  And  the  steady, 
easy  jog  of  the  train,  as  it  leisurely  moves  west- 
ward, give?)  a  feeling  of  genuine  comfort,  such  as 
no  one  ever  feels  or  enjoys  in  any  other  part  of 
the  world. 

A  Pullman  Pacific  car  train  in  motion  is  a 
grand  and  beautiful  sight  too,  from  within  as  well 
as  from  without.  On  some  lovely,  balmy,  sum- 
mer day.,  when  the  fresh  breezes  across  the  prai- 
ries induce  us  to  open  our  doors  and  windows, 
there  may  often  be  seen  curious  and  pleasant 
sights.  Standing  at  the  rear  of  the  train,  and 
with  all  doors  open,  there  is  an  unobstructed 
view  along  the  aisles  throughout  the  entire  length. 
On  either  side  of  the  train,  are  the  prairies,  where 
the  eye  sees  but  wildness,  and  even  desolation, 
then  looking  back  upon  this  long  aisle  or  avenue, 
he  sees  civilization  and  comfort  and  luxury. 
How  sharp  the  contrast.  The  first  day's  ride 
over  the  Pacific  Railroad  westward,  is  a  short  one 
to  nightfall,  but  it  carries  one  through  the 
beautiful  undulating  prairies  of  eastern  Nebraska, 
the  best  settled  portions  of  the  State,  where  are 
its  finest  homes  and  richest  soil.  Opening  sud- 
denly into  the  broad  and  ever  grand  Valley  of 
the  Platte,  the  rich  luxuriant  meadow-grass,  in 


the  warmth  of  the  afternoon  sun,  make  even  the 
most  desponding  or  prosaic  feel  there  is  beauty  in 
prairie  life. 

On  the  second  day  out,  the  traveler  is  fast 
ascending  the  high  plains  and  summits  of  the 
Rocky  Mountains.  The  little  villages  of  prairie 
dogs  interest  and  amuse  every  one.  Then  come 
in  sight  the  distant  summits  of  Long's  Peak  and 
the  Colorado  Mountains.  Without  scarcely  ask- 
ing the  cause,  the  tourist  is  full  of  glow  and 
enthusiasm.  He  is  alive  with  enjoyment,  and 
yet  can  scarcely  tell  why.  The  great  plains 
themselves  seem  full  of  interest. 

Ah !  It  is  this  keen,  beautiful,  refreshing, 
oxygenated,  invigorating,  toning,  beautiful,  en- 
livening mountain  air  which  is  giving  him  the 
glow  of  nature,  and  quickening  him  into  greater 
appreciation  of  this  grand  impressive  country. 
The  plains  themselves  are  a  sight — most  forci- 
ble ;  shall  we  call  them  the  blankness  of  desolation  1 
No,  for  every  inch  of  the  little  turf  beneath  your 
feet  is  rich ;  the  soil  contains  the  finest  of  food 
in  the  little  tufts  of  buffalo  grass,  on  which 
thousands  and  millions  of  sheep  and  cattle  may 
feed  the  year  through.  But  it  is  the  vastness  of 
wide-extending,  uninhabited,  lifeless,  uplifted 
solitude.  If  ever  one  feels  belittled,  'tis  on  the 
plains,  when  each  individual  seems  but  a  little 
mite,  amid  this  majesty  of  loneliness.  But  the 
traveler  finds  with  the  Pullman  car  life,  amid 
his  enjoyments  of  reading,  playing,  conversation, 
making  agreeable  acquaintances,  and  with  con- 
stant glances  from  the  car  window,  enough  to 
give  him  full  and  happy  use  of  his  time. 

Night  time  comes,  and  then  as  your  little  berths 
are  made  up,  and  you  snugly  cover  yourself  up, 
under  double  blankets  (for  the  night  air  is  always 
crisp  and  cold),  perhaps  you  will  often  witness 
the  sight  of  a  prairie  fire,  or  the  vivid  flashes 
of  lightning ;  some  of  nature's  greatest  scenes, 
hardly  less  interesting  than  the  plains,  and  far 
more  fearful  and  awe-inspiring.  Then  turning 
to  rest,  you  will  sleep  amid  the  easy  roll  of  the 
car,  as  sweetly  and  refreshingly  as  ever  upon 
the  home-bed.  How  little  has  ever  been  writ- 
ten of  "  Night  on  the  Pacific  Railroad,"  the  de- 
lightful, snug,  rejuvenating  sleeps  on  the  Pacific 
Railroad. 

The  lulling,  quiet  life  by  day,  and  the  sound, 
refreshing  repose  by  night,  are  to  the  system  the 
best  of  health  restorers.  Were  there  but  one 
thing  tourists  might  feel  most  gratitude  for,  on 
their  overland  trip,  'tis  their  enjoyment  of  the  ex- 
hilarating mountain  air  by  day,  and  the  splendid 
rest  by  night.  But  as  our  train  moves  on,  it  in- 
troduces us  to  new  scenes.  You  soon  ascend  the 
Rocky  Mountains  at  Sherman,  and  view  there 
the  vast  mountain  range,  the  "Back 'Bone  of  the 
Continent,"  and  again  descend  and  thunder  amid 
the  cliffs  of  Echo  and  Weber  Canons.  You 
carry  with  you  your  Pullman  house  and  all  its 
comforts,  and  from  your  little  window,  as  from 


10 


your  little  boudoir  at  home,  you  will  see  the 
mighty  wonders  of  the  Far  West. 

It  is  impossible  to  tell  of  the  pleasures  and  joys 
of  the  palace  ride  you  will  have — five  days — it 
will  make  you  so  well  accustomed  to  car  life,  you 
feel  when  you  drop  upon  the  wharf  of  San  Fran- 
cisco, that  you  had  left  genuine  comfort  behind, 
and  even  the  hotel,  with  its  cosy  parlor  and 
cheerful  fire,  has  not  its  full  recompense. 

Palace  car  life  has  every  day  its  fresh  and 
novel  sights.  No  railroad  has  greater  variety 
and  contrasts  of  scenery  than  the  Pacific  Rail- 
road. The  great  plains  of  Nebraska  and  Wy- 
oming are  not  less  impressive  than  the  great 
Humboldt  Desert.  The  rock  majesties  of  Echo 
and  Weber  are  not  more  wonderful  than  the 
curiosities  of  Great  Salt  Lake  and  the  City  of 
Deseret.  And  where  more  grandly  and  beauti- 
fully could  a  tourist  drop  down  and  finish  his 
tour,  than  from  the  grand,  towering  summits 
of  the  Sierras,  and  amid  the  golden  grain  fields 
of  California,  its  gardens,  groves,  and  cottage 
blossoms  ? 

When  the  traveler  returns  home,  nothing  will 
impress  him  more  strongly  or  beautifully  than 
the  loveliness  of  the  Valley  of  the  Platte.  Com- 
ing eastward,  first,  he  will  leave  behind  the  mil- 
lions of  acres  of  little  short  buffalo  grass,  so  dry 
and  yellow,  and  soon  comes  to  a  little  green. 
How  refreshing  it  is  after  days  of  dry,  sere  vege- 
tation. Gradually  there  come  other  grasses,  a 
little  taller  and  more  green;  then  nearer  and 
hearer  to  the  end  of  the  journey,  come  the  wav- 
ing of  the  corn-fields,  the  vast  meadows  of  tall 
green  grass,  and  the  happy  little  farms.  So 
complete  a  transition  from  the  solitude  of  the 
uplands  to  the  lovely  green  verdure  of  the  low- 
lands of  the  Platte,  is  an  inexpressible  charm  to 
all.  No  traveler  ever  returns  East  but  with  the 
most  kindly  of  memories  of  the  grand,  and  yet 
simple  beauty  of  the  Platte  Valley. 

Think  then,  oh  reader  !  of  the  joys  that  await 
thee  from  the  window  of  thy  palace  car  ! 

Practical  Hints  for  Comforts  Inj  the 
Wai/. — To  enjoy  palace  car  life  properly,  one 
always  needs  a  good  companion.  This  obtained, 
take  a  section  together,  wherever  the  journey 
leads  you.  From  Chicago  to  Omaha,  the  com- 
pany in  sleeping-cars  is  usually  quiet  and  re- 
fined, but  beyond  Omaha,  there  is  often  an 
indescribable  mixture  of  races  in  the  same  car, 
and  if  you  are  alone,  often  the  chance  is  that 
your  "  compagnon  du  voyage  "  may  not  be  agree- 
able. It  is  impossible  to  order  a  section  for  one 
person  alone,  and  the  dictum  of  sleeping-car 
arrangements  at  Omaha  requires  all  who  come 
to  take  what  berths  are  assigned.  But  if  you 
will  wait  over  one  day  at  Omaha,  you  can  make 
a  choice  of  the  whole  train,  and  secure  the  most 
desirable  berths.  When  your  section  is  once 
located,  generally  you  will  find  the  same  section 
reserved  for  you  at  Ogden,  where  you  change 


cars  to  the  Central  Pacific  Railroad ;  all  through 
passengers  having  usually  the  preference  of  best 
berths,  and  about  the  same  position  as  on  the  cars 
of  the  Union  Pacific. 

Fee  your  porter  on  the  sleeping-car  always — 
if  he  is  attentive  and  obliging,  give  him  a  dol- 
lar. His  attention  to  your  comfort  and  care  of 
your  baggage  and  constant  watch  over  the  little 
articles  and  hand-satchel,  against  loafers  on  the 
train,  is  worth  all  you  give  him.  Often  larger 
fees  are  given.  This  is  just  as  the  traveler  feels. 
The  porters  of  both  Pacific  Railroads  are  es- 
teemed specially  excellent,  obliging  and  care- 
ful. 

Meals.  —  The  trains  of  the  Union  Pacific 
Railroad  are  arranged  so  as  to  stop  at  excellent 
stations  at  convenient  hours,  for  meals.  In 
place  of  the  usual  dining  station  at  Laramie, 
there  is  now  a  most  comfortable  and  conven- 
ient eating  station  at  Rock  Creek,  a  little  far- 
ther west.  Its  pleasant,  cheerful  room  filled  with 
plants,  and  the  convenience  of  better  hours  for 
meals,  add  greatly  to  the  pleasure  of  the  over- 
land trip.  At  Green  River  you  will  find  the 
dining-room  entrance  fairly  surrounded  with 
curiosities,  and  the  office  filled  with  oddities  very 
amusing.  The  meals  here  are  excellent,  con- 
sidering all  supplies  are  obtained  at  a  great  dis- 
tance away. 

Usually  all  the  eating-houses  on  both  the  Pacific 
Railroads  are  very  excellent  indeed.  The  keepers 
have  to  maintain  their  culinary  excellence  under 
great  disadvantages,  especially  west  of  Sidney, 
as  all  food  but  meats  must  be  brought  from  a 
great  distance. 

Travelers  need  to  make  no  preparations  for 
eating  on  the  cars,  as  meals  at  all  dining-halls 
are  excellent,  and  food  of  great  variety  is  nicely 
served ;  buffalo  meat,  antelope  steak,  tongue  of 
all  kinds,  and  always  the  best  of  beefsteak. 
Laramie  possesses  the  reputation  of  the  best  steak 
on  the  Pacific  Railroad.  Sidney  makes  a  special- 
ty, occasionally,  of  antelope  steak.  At  Evanston 
you  will  see  the  lively  antics  of  the  Chinese 
waiters,  probably  your  first  sight  of  them.  Also 
they  usually  have  nice  mountain  fish.  At  Green 
River  you  will  always  get  nice  biscuit ;  at  Grand 
Island  they  give  all  you  can  possibly  eat ;  it  has 
a  good  name  for  its  bountiful  supplies. 

At  Ogden  you  will  be  pleased  with  the  neat- 
ness and  cleanness  of  the  tables  and  service.  At 
Cheyenne  the  dinners  are  always  excellent,  and 
the  dining-room  is  cheerful.  To  any  who  either 
have  desire  to  economize,  or  inability  to  eat  three 
railroad  meals  per  day,  we  recommend  to  carry  a 
little  basket  with  Albert  biscuit  and  a  little  cup. 
This  can  be  easily  filled  at  all  stopping-places 
with  hot  tea  or  coffee,  and  a  sociable  and  com- 
fortable glass  of  tea  indulged  in  inside  the  car. 
The  porter  will  fit  you  up  a  nice  little  table  in 
your  section,  and  spread  on  a  neat  white  table- 
cloth. 


11 


When  the  tourist  reaches  the  Central  Pacific 
Railroad  he  passes  beyond  the  domain  of  the 
Pullman  Car  Company;  nevertheless,  the  new 
coaches  of  the  Central  Pacific  Railroad  are  just 
as  elegant  and  convenient. 

As  the  comforts  of  the  new  cars  are  far  supe- 
rior to  the  old  ones,  which  still  are  used,  it 
would  be  better  to  wait  over  at  Ogden  one  day 
to  make  sure  of  them.  The  dining-stations  of  the 
Central  Pacific  Railroad  are  bountiful  in  their 
supplies ;  at  all  of  them  fruit  is  given  in  sum- 
mer-time with  great  freedom.  Fish  is  almost 
always  to  be  had  ;  no  game  of  value.  The  food, 
cooking  and  service  by  Chinese  waiters  is  simply 
excellent.  The  writer  has  never  eaten  nicer 
meals  than  those  served  at  Winnemucca,  Elko, 
Battle  Mountain  and  Colfax.  The  Humboldt 
Desert  is  far  from  being  a  desert  to  the  traveling 
public,  for  its  eating-stations  always  furnish  a 
dessert  of  good  things  and  creature  comforts. 

A  little  lunch-basket  nicely  stowed  with  sweet 
and  substantial  bits  of  food'  will  often  save  you 
the  pain  of  long  rides  before  meals ;  when  the 
empty  stomach  craves  food  and  failing  to  receive 
it,  lays  you  up  with  the  most  dismal  of  sick  head- 
aches ;  it  also  serves  you  splendidly  whenever 
the  train  is  delayed.  To  be  well  on  the  Pacific 
Railroad  eat  at  regular  hours,  and  never  miss  a  meal. 
Most  of  the  sickness  which  we  have  witnessed, 
has  arisen  from  irregular  eating,  or  injudicious 
attempts  at  economy  by  skipping  a  meal  to  save 
a  dollar.  We  have  noticed  those  who  were  regu- 
lar in  eating  at  every  meal,  passed  the  journey 
with  greatest  ease,  most  comfort  and  best 
health.  Those  who  were  irregular,  skipping  here 
and  there  a  meal,  always  suffered  inconvenience. 

In  packing  your  little  lunch-basket,  avoid 
tongue,  by  all  m^ans,  for  it  will  not  keep  over  a  day 
or  two,  and  its  fumes  in  a  sleeping-car  are  any- 
thing but  like  those  from  "  Araby  the  blest." 
Avoid  all  articles  which  have  odor  of  any  descrip- 
tion. 

Lunch  counters  are  attached  to  all  eating-sta- 
tions, so  that  you  may  easily  procure  hot  coffee, 
tea,  biscuit,  sandwiches  and  fruit  if  you  do  not 
wish  a  full  meal. 

The  uniform  price  of  meals  at  all  stations  over- 
land, is  f  1.00  greenbacks.  On  the  Central  Pacific, 
at  Colfax  pay  75  cents  in  silver;  at  Lathrop 
pay  50  cents  silver — the  cheapest  and  best  meal 
for  the  money,  of  your  whole  tour.  For  clothing 
on  your  overland  trip,  you  will  need  at  Omaha  the 
first  day,  if  it  is  summer,  a  light  spring  suit ;  the 
next  day  a  winter  suit  at  Sherman.  Again,  at 
Salt  Lake  City  and  the  Humboldt  Desert,  the 
thinnest  of  summer  suits,  and  at  the  summit  of 
the  Sierras,  all  your  underclothing.  We  can 
only  advise  you  as  you  have  to  pass  through  so 
many  extremes  of  temperature,  to  always  wear 
your  underclothing,  day  and  night,  through  the 
overland  trip,  and  add  an  overcoat  if  the  air  grows 
chilly. 


Beware  of  the  quick  transition  from  the  hot  ride 
over  the  San  Joaquin  Valley  to  the  cold  sea  air 
on  the  ferry  from  Oakland  to  San  Francisco. 
Invalids  have  been  chilled  through  with  this  un- 
expected sea  breeze,  and  even  the  most  hardy 
do  not  love  it.  Keep  warm  and  keep  inside  the 
boat.  Thus,  reader,  we  have  helped  you  with 
kindly  hints  how  to  enjoy  your  trip.  Now  let  us 
glance,  as  we  go,  at  each  scene  of  industry  where 
our  tour  will  take  us. 

HINTS. 

1.  Baggage.  —  All  baggage  of  reasonable 
weight  can  be  checked  from  any  Eastern  city 
direct  to  Omaha,  but  is  there  rechecked. 

2.  At  Omaha  all  baggage  is  weighed,  and  on 
all   excess   of  over   100  pounds,  passengers  will 
pay  15  cts.  per  pound.     This  is  imperative. 

3.  Railroad   Tickets — are   easily   procur- 
able for  the  whole  trip  across  to  San  Francisco. 
It  is  better  to  buy  one  through  ticket  than  to 
buy  separately.     By  returning  a  different  route 
from  Omaha,  from  the  one  you  went,  the  tour 
will  be  much  more   interesting,  and  give   you 
fresh  scenery  constantly. 

4.  Buy  your  tickets  only  at  known  railroad 
offices,    and  never   of   agencies.     In   the   West, 
railroads    have   offices   at    the   principal  hotels. 
These  are  usually  perfectly  reliable. 

5.  To  Check  Baggage — be  at  every  depot 
one-half  hour  or  more  before  the  departure  of 
trains. 

6.  Transfer    Coaches.  —  In   all   Western 
cities  there  is  a  line  of  transfer  coaches,  which, 
for  the  uniform  price  of  fifty  cents,  will  take 
you  and  your  baggage  direct  to  any  hotel,  or 
transfer  you  at  once  across  the  city  to  any  depot. 
They  are  trustworthy,  cheap,  and   convenient. 
The  agent  will  always  pass  through  the  train 
before  arrival,  selling  transfer  tickets  and  checks 
to  hotels. 

7.  At  Salt  Lake  City,  horse-cars  run  from  the 
depot  direct  to  the  hotels ;  also  there  is  an  omni- 
bus transfer.     Price,  fifty  cents. 

8.  At  San  Francisco  the  Pacific  Transfer  and 
Baggage  Company  will  take  your  baggage  to  any 
hotel  or  private  residence  for  50  cents.     Their 
agent  is  on  every  train  ;  you  will  save  time  by  giv- 
ing him  your  check.     Hotel  coaches  charge  $1.00. 
Horse-cars  run  f  i~om  the  wharf  direct  to  all  hotels. 

9.  Greenbacks  are  used  for  all  railroad  tickets 
and  payment  of  sleeping-car  berths  for  the  en- 
tire distance  to  California ;  also  for  all  hotels  to 
and  including  Salt  Lake  City,  but  beyond  that, 
everything  is  payable  in  silver  and   gold.     For 
the  Central  Pacific  Railroad,  you  do  not  need 
more  than  $5  for  coin  expenses.     After  reaching 
San  Francisco,  you  can  sell  your  greenbacks  and 
buy  coin  as  often  as  necessary.     If  much  coin  is 
needed,  buy  and  use  the  gold  notes  which  are 
current  everywhere  within  300  miles  of  the  city ; 
beyond  that  the  coin  only  is  used.     Gold  drafts 


12 


can  be  bought  in  all   Eastern   cities  on   San 
Francisco. 

10.  The  uniform  prices  of  board  in  the  West 
are  $4.50  per  day  at  Chicago,  $4.00  per  day  at 
Omaha,  Denver,  and    Salt  Lake  City.     In  San 
Francisco,  $3.00  gold  per  day  at  all  hotels.     To 
secure  good  nice  rooms  in  California,  the  tour- 
ist  must   submit  to  extra  charges  of  $1.00  to 
$1.50  per  day. 

11.  If  traveling  with  ladies,  it  is  good  policy, 
when  within  100  miles  of  each  city,  where  you 
expect  to  stop,  to  telegraph  to  your  hotel  in -ad- 
vance, requesting  nice   rooms   reserved,   always 
mentioning  that  you  have  ladies. 

12.  Whenever   disposed  to  take   horses  and 
carriage  for  a  ride,  look  out  with  sharp  eyes  for 
the  tricks  of  the  trade ;  if  no  price  or  time  is 
agreed  upon,  you  will  have  to  pay  dearly,  and 
the  farther  west  you  go,  the  hire  of  horse  flesh 
grows  dearer  (though  the  value  per  animal  rap- 
idly grows  less.)     Engage  your  livery  carefully  at 
so  much  per  hour,  and  then  choose  your  time  to 
suit  your  wishes.     Ten  dollar  bills  melt  quicker 
in  carriage  rides  than  any  other  "  vain  show." 

13.  Without    much    exception,   all    railroad 
officers,  railroad  conductors,   Pullman    car   con- 
ductors  are    gentlemen   in  manners,    courteous 
and  civil.     No  passenger  ever  gains  a  point  by 
loud  orders  or    strong   and    forcible    demands. 
You  are  treated  respectfully  by  all,  and  the  same 
is  expected  in  return.     The  days  of  boisterous 
times,  rough  railroad  men,  and  bullies  in  the 
Far  West  are  gone,  and  there  is  as  much  civility 
there,  often  more,  than  you  will  find  near  home. 

14.  Railroad  tickets  must  always  be  shown 
when  baggage  is  checked. 

ROUTES. 

Route  No.  1  from,  New  York. — Take  the 
Pennsylvania  Central  Railroad  which  leaves  foot 
of  Desbrosses  street,  by  ferry,  to  Jersey  City.  To 
engage  a  good  berth  in  your  sleeping-car,  go  to  a 
proper  railroad  office,  and  secure  your  berth  by 
telegraph.  There  are  local  telegraphs  connect- 
ing with  the  principal  Pullman  office.  Do  this 
the  previous  night,  or  morning,  as  then  the  best 
berths  can  be  secured.  Pullman  cars  run  on  the 
Pennsylvania  Railroad  to  Chicago  and  St.  Louis, 
direct,  without  change.  Three  trains  leave  per 
day.  To  see  the  richest  scenery,  take  the  morn- 
ing train  and  you  will  have  a  good  view  of  nearly 
the  entire  State  of  Pennsylvania  by  daylight, 
the  valley  of  the  Susquehanna  and  Juniata,  and 
the  famous  Horse-Shoe  Bend  by  moonlight. 
The  Pennsylvania  Railroad  is  "  always  on  time," 
the  most  reliable  in  its  connections. 

Route  No.  2  frotn  Neiv  YorJc.— Leave 
via  the  Erie  Railroad  from  foot  of  Chambers  or 
West  23d  street.  The  advantages  of  this  route 
are  numerous.  This  is  the  famous  Pullman 
line — which  ran  the  first  line  of  dining-cars — 
between  New  York  and  Chicago.  The  meals 


are  very  fine  and  service  excellent.  The  sleep- 
ing-cars on  the  Erie  Railroad  belong  to  the  Pull- 
man Company,  and  are  the  finest  in  the  world, 
of  extra  width  and  extra  comfort.  The  scenery 
along  the  Erie  Railroad  (by  all  means  take  the 
morning  train)  is  specially  fine,  and  at  points  is 
remarkably  lovely.  The  sleeping  and  dining- 
cars  accompany  the  train  to  Chicago.  The 
route  passes  via  Salamanca,  Atlantic  and  Great 
Western  and  Chicago  extension  of  Baltimore 
and  Ohio  Railroad,  direct  without  change,  to 
Chicago.  Passengers  also  can  take  other  sleep- 
ing-cars of  the  train,  if  they  wish,  which  will 
convey  them  direct  to  Buffalo  and  Niagara  Falls, 
where  there  is  direct  connection  via  the  Lake 
Shore  Railroad  or  Michigan  Central  to  Chicago. 

Route  No.  3  From,  New  York — is  via 
the  New  York  Central  and  Hudson  River. 

Route  No.  4 — is  via  the  Baltimore  and 
Ohio  Railroad.  Tourists  by  this  route,  to  and 
from  California,  have  many  advantages.  It 
is  the  shortest  line  from  Chicago  or  Cincinnati 
to  the  National  Capitol  at  Washington.  Its 
scenery,  on  the  mountain  division,  between 
Harper's  Ferry  and  Parkersburg,  is  grand  and 
full  "of  historic  interest.  Its  dining  stations 
are  exceedingly  well  kept,  and  the  comforts 
of  its  parlor  and  sleeping-cars  are  equal  to 
the  very  best.  Pullman  cars  run  through  to 
and  from  St.  Louis  and  Chicago. 

California  travelers  choosing  this  route 
east,  will  include  Washington,  Baltimore, 
Philadelphia  and  New  York  on  one  ticket, 
with  their  numerous  scenes  and  objects  of 
interest. 

From  Philadelphia. — Tourists  uniformly 
prefer  the  Pennsylvania  Central,  though  many 
often  wish  to  visit  Baltimore  and  Washington, 
and  thence  see  the  scenery  along  the  Baltimore 
and  Ohio  Railroad,  and  go  westward  via  Cincin- 
nati to  St.  Louis. 

From  Baltimore  and  Washington. — 
Tourists  have  choice  of  either  the  Northern 
Central  with  Pennsylvania  Central  connections, 
or  the  Baltimore  and  Ohio  Railroad.  Pullman 
cars  run  on  either  road. 

From  Boston. — Wagner  sleeping-cars  run 
direct  over  the  Boston  and  Albany  Railroad, 
to  Rochester,  N.  Y.,  and  usually  through  to 
Chicago.  Though  this  is  an  exceedingly  con- 
venient route,  yet  it  gives  no  scenery  of  conse- 
quence. Tourists  who  desire  the  best  scenery 
will  do  well  to  come  direct  to  New  York,  the  ride 
by  steamer  being  always  pleasant;  and  from  New 
York  make  their  start,  the  pleasantest  time  for 
departure  always  being  on  the  fast  special  ex- 
press in  the  morning. 

From  Cincinnati, — tourists  have  choice 
of  two  routes;  1st,  via  Ohio  and  Mississippi 
Railroad,  direct  to  St.  Louis,  passing  over  the 
famous  St.  Louis  Bridge,  with  omnibus  transfer 
to  other  railroads ;  or,  2d,  via  Indianapolis,  Bloom- 


13 


ington  and  Western  Railroad,  which  run  trains 
direct  to  Burlington,  la.,  or  to  Chicago.  Pull- 
man sleeping-cars  run  on  either  route. 

.Fro in,  Chicago, — three  roads  run  across 
Iowa  direct  to  Council  Bluffs. 

The  Chicago,  Burlington  and  Quincy 
Railroad — crosses  the  Mississippi  at  Burling- 
ton, la.,  and  passes  through  Southern  Iowa.  The 
Pullman  cars  are  very  elegant,  and  the  road 
popular.  This  line  is  now  running  dining  cars 
attached  to  its  express  trains,  on  both  Eastern 
and  Western  divisions.  Meals  served  on  them  are 
splendid,  beautifully  cooked,  great  variety,  and  a 
great  comfort  to  the  traveler.  Price,  only  75  cts. 

The  Chicago  and  North-western  Kail- 
road — is  the  shortest  line,  and  crosses  the  Mis- 
sissippi at  Clinton,  la.  The  eating  stations  on 
this  route  are  all  very  fine.  In  Iowa,  especially, 
they  are  the  best  of  the  Iowa  railroads.  The 
Pullman  cars  are  also  very  superior.  There 
has  recently  been  added  a  magnificent  Hotel 
car  to  express  trains,  which  increases  the  popu- 
larity of  the  line  very  greatly. 

The  Chicago  and  Hock  Island  Kail- 
road — crosses  the  Mississippi  at  Davenport. 
The  view  from  the  railroad  bridge  is  very  beau-i 
tiftil,  and  the  scenery  of  the  railroad  in  the  Des 
Moines  Valley,  and  westward,  is  charming.  The 
sleeping-cars  on  this  line  are  owned  by  the  rail- 
road company,  and  are  very  good.  The  line  has 
recently  added  some  elegant  and  expensive  res- 
taurant and  dining  cars,  whose  fine  meals  are 
exceedingly  well  served. 

Note. — Upon  railroads  west  of  Chicago,  no 
sleeping-cars  run  through,  except  those  connected 
with  the  morning  Pacific  express  train.  These 
run  direct  from  Chicago  to  Council  Bluffs,  where 
passengers  will  change  cars  for  Union  Pacific 
Railroad. 

From  St.  Louis — two  routes  are  open  to 
the  tourist.  The  Missouri  Pacific  Railroad  runs 
up  on  the  south  side  of  the  Missouri  River,  with 
Pullman  cars,  direct  for  Kansas  City,  and  also 
The  St.  Louis,  Kansas  City  and  Northern,  on 
the  northern  side  of  the  river. 

Both  of  these  routes  are  in  direct  connection 
with  the  Kansa-t  City,  St.  Joseph  and  Council  Bluffs 
Railroad,  run  through  sleeping-cars  from  St.  Louis 
direct  to  Omaha.  The  sleeping-car  between  St. 
Louis  and  Omaha,  runs  direct  from  Omaha  de- 
pot to  Kansas  city,  and  thence  alternate  nights 
over  each  Missouri  railroad. 

Council  Bluffs,  Iowa,  Railroad  Trans- 
fer Grounds. — This,  as  well  as  Omaha,  is  a 
transfer  point  for  all  passengers,  and  the  starting 
point  of  all  trains  on  the  Union  Pacific  railroad. 
A  recent  decision  of  U.  S.  Supreme  Court,  fixes 
the  terminus  of  the  Pacific  Railroad  on  the  east 
side  of  the  Missouri  River.  The  company  has 
complied  with  the  decision,  and  the  necessity  for 
bridge  transfer  is  now  entirely  removed.  At 
Council  Bluffs  is  also  the  western  terminus  of 


the  Iowa  Railroads.  A  Union  Depot  for  all  rail- 
roads is  proposed,  and  will  soon  be  erected. 
Henceforth,  all  passengers,  baggage,  mails, 
freight,  etc.,  and  trains  for  the  West,  will  start 
from  this  point,  as  well  as  Omaha.  Passengers, 
however,  usually  prefer  to  take  their  sleeping- 
cars  at  Omaha.  The  city  of  Council  Bluffs  is 
located  about  three  miles  east  from  the  Missouri 
river,  and  contains  a  population  of  15,000.  Its 
record  dates  from  as  early  a  period  as  1804,  when 
the  celebrated  explorers,  Lewis  and  Clark,  held 
a  council  with  the  Indians,  which  fact,  together 
with  the  physical  peculiarity  of  the  high  bluffs 
overlooking  the  town,  has  given  it  its  name — 
Council  Bluffs. 

The .  city  is  one  of  great  enterprise,  with  a 
large  number  of  public  buildings,  stores.  State 
institutions,  and  dwellings,  and  is  the  nucleus  of 
a  large  trade  from  surrounding  Iowa  towns,  and 
is  supported  by  a  rich  agricultural  community. 
It  is  intimately  connected  with  Omaha — with 
frequent  trains  over  the  bridge,  also  steam  ferry. 
It  will  doubtless  come  more  largely  hereafter  into 
prominence  as  a  railroad  town,  though  the  com- 
mercial importance  of  Omaha,  and  its  trade  with 
the  far  West,  will  doubtless  be  for  a  long  time  to 
come,  far  superior.  The  general  offices  of  the 
Union  Pacific  Railroad  Company  will  remain,  for 
the  present,  at  Omaha. 

At  Council  Bluffs  the  Union  Pacific  Railroad 
Company  have  reserved  ample  grounds,  over 
1,000  acres,  to  accommodate  its  own  traffic  and 
that  of  connecting  railroads,  and  extensive  prep- 
arations will  be  made  to  accommodate  the  vast 
traffic  of  freights,  passengers,  baggage  and  stock, 
which  daily  arrives  and  departs. 

Here  are  also  located  the  stock-grounds  of  the 
company,  which  in  time  will  render  the  locality 
a  large  stock-market.  The  past  year  over  3,000 
cars  of  stock  were  transferred  over  the  bridge, 
and  there  is  ample  room  for  extension. 

Keeping-Car  Expenses. — The  tariff  to 
travelers  is  as  follows,  with  all  companies,  and 
all  in  greenbacks : 

One  berth,  New  York  to  Chicago,  one  and  one-half 

days,  by  any  route,  $5  00 

One  berth,  New  York  to  Cincinnati,  one  and  one- 
half  days,  by  Pennsylvania  railroad,  4  00 

One  berth,  New  York  to  Cincinnati,  one  and  one- 
half  days,  by  other  routes,  5  00 

One  berth,  New  York  to  St.  Louis,  two  days,  by 

any  route.  6  00 

One  berth,  Chicago  or  St.  Louis,  to  Omaha,  by  any 

route,  3  00 

One  berth,  Omaha  to  Ogden.  by  Pacific  Railroad,  8  00 

One  berth.  Ogden  to  San  Francisco,  by  Central 

Pacific  Railroad,  6  00 

MEALS. 

All  meals  at  all  railroad  dining-stations  east  of 

Omaha,  $0  75 

Except  dinners  on  Erie  and  New  York  Central,  1  00 

All  meals  on  Union  Pacific  Railroad,  1  00 
All  meals  on  Central  Pacific  Railroad,  first  day, 

currency,  1  00 

All  meals  on  Central  Pacific  Railroad,  at  Colfax,  coin,  75 

All  meals  on  Central  Pacific  Railroad,  Lathrop,  coin,  50 


SCENES  IN  OMAHA. 

1.— General  View  of  Omaha  and  the  Missouri  Valley.    2,-Post-Offloe.    3.— High  School  Building. 
4.— Grand  Central  Hotel.    5.— Missouri  River  Bridge. 


15 


OMASA. 

OMAHA  occupies  an  exceedingly  beautiful  sit- 
uation, bold  and  commanding.  Approaching 
this  city  from  the  east,  the  broad  valley  of 
the  Missouri  river  first  comes  into  view.  Then, 
as  you  near  Council  Bluffs,  the  great  iron 
bridge  which  spans  the  river  is  plainly  visible. 
Behind  it,  looking  to  the  west,  is  Omaha, 
covering  a  part  of  the  low  bottom  lands,  the 
higher  table  lands,  and  the  bluffs  or  hills 
beyond.  On  the  cover  of  a  book  recently  writ- 
ten by  an  English  gentleman,  on  the  advanta- 
ges, etc.,  of  Nebraska,  there  is  a  picture,  in  gilt, 
of  the  Union  Pacific  bridge.  On  the  top  of  this 
picture  the  following  expressive  legend  is 
inscribed :  "  To  the  Plains ;  To  the  Mountains ; 
to  the  Pacific."  This  legend  points  the  way, 
and  means  all  it  says. 

Omaha  is  the  grand  gateway  through  which 
the  western  tide  of  travel  and  immigration  is 
passing,  in  search  of  what  may  be  found,  either 
for  amusement,  pleasure  or  profit  on  these  plains, 
mountains,  and  the  ocean  named.  It  is  the 
half-way  house,  and  resting-place  for  those  who 
are  weary  of  continual  travel,  and  has  sufficient 
attractions  to  render  a  visit  profitable  and  inter- 
esting. 

Early  History. — In  June,  1853,  as  a  party 
of  gentlemen  were  standing  in  the  shade  of  the 
bluffs,  at  whose  feet  nestled  the  Mormon  town  of 
Kanesville,  now  Council  Bluffs,  their  eyes  rested 
upon  the  spot  where  Omaha  now  stands.  The 
plateau  that  ascended  gently  before  them  to  the 
finely-rounded  hills  and  covered  with  a  beautiful 
green  carpet,  was  a  most  captivating  sight.  It  was 
a  fine  location  for  a  city,  and  the  question  of  em- 
barking in  the  enterprise  of  building  one  was 
discussed  by  the  party.  The  project  was  so 
favorable  in  their  view,  that  they  shortly  after 
crossed  the  river  and  proceeded  to  make  a  per- 
sonal examination  of  the  grounds.  They  found 
their  anticipations  fully  realized — the  location 
being  even  better  than  it  had  appeared  in  the 
distance.  The  lines  were  at  once  laid  down, 
and  the  same  year  surveyed  and  lithographed. 
But  before  the  survey,  a  town  company  was 
incorporated  under  the  laws  of  Iowa,  and 
known  as  the  "Council  Bluffs  and  Nebraska 
Ferry  Company."  The  date  of  this  organiza- 
tion was  July  23,  1853.  The  honor  of  naming 
the  town  belongs  to  Jesse  Lowe,  at  whose  sug- 
gestion it  was  called  Omaha,  after  a  tribe  of 
Indians  which  is  now  nearly  extinct.  The 
records  of  Lewis  &  Clark's  expedition  up  the 
Missouri  river,  in  1804,  show  that  they  under- 
stand the  name  of  this  tribe  as  "  Mahas,"  but  we 
are  in  the  dark  as  to  how  or  when  the  letter 
"  O  "  was  prefixed  to  the  name.  Having  per- 
fected their  organization,  the  next  step  was  to 
obtain  title  from  the  Indians.  A  preliminary 
treaty  was  made  with  them  in  the  winter  of 


1853-54,  which  was  ratified  by  the  government, 
to  which  the  lands  reverted ;  and  afterwards  the 
town  site  was  obtained  through  two  patents  to 
two  gentlemen  who  acted  for  the  town  company. 
The  first  ferry  across  the  river  was  a  cotton- 
wood  craft ;  but  it  was  superseded  in  1853  by  a 
steam  ferry-boat  called  the  "  General  Marion." 
After  this  event,  by  means  of  advertising,  the 
overland  travel  was  rapidly  concentrated,  and 
Omaha  began  to  grow.  The  first  house  was 
erected  by  the  ferry  company,  in  1853,  on  the 
corner  of  Twelfth  and  Jackson  streets.  The 
erection  of  other  buildings  quickly  followed. 
In  1854,  the  first  brick  kiln  was  burned ;  and 
the  Omaha  Arrow,  the  first  newspaper,  made  its 
appearance.  The  first  grave  was  dug  where 
Turner  Hall  now  stands,  for  an  old  squaw  of  the 
Omaha  tribe,  who  had  been  left  by  her  com- 
panions to  die.  How  prophetic  the  words  of 
Whittier  in  his  poem : 

"  Behind  the  squaw's  light  birch  canoe, 

The  steamer  smokes  and  raves ; 
And  city  lots  are  staked  for  sale 

Above  old  Indian  graves." 

The  first  legislature  of  Nebraska  convened 
in  the  winter  of  1854-5.  There  was  a  great 
strife  for  the  location  of  the  capital,  but  Omaha 
triumphed,  and  in  1856  the  capitol  building  was 
commenced  on  the  ground  now  occupied  by  the 
High-school  building,  which  was  donated  by  the 
city. 

Busy  Times. — In  1856  things  were  "  boom- 
ing" in  Omaha,  and  corner  lots  were  held  and 
sold  for  extravagant  sums,  but  the  crash  of  1857 
soon  followed,  and  men  who  were  supposed  to  be 
wealthy  the  year  before,  found  themselves  penni- 
less, unable  to  obtain  money  enough  to  get  away. 
These  were  forced  to  stay,  and  by  this  fact  alone 
many  of  them  are  now  rich  and  prosperous. 
But  the  discovery  of  gold  in  Colorado,  in  1859, 
was  a  godsend  to  Omaha.  It  lifted  it  from 
depression  and  set  it  marching  forward  on  the 
road  to  an  enduring  prosperity.  White-topped 
wagons  from  the  east  came  by  the  thousands. 
On  some  of  them  these  words  were  painted, 
"  Pike's  Peak  or  bust,"  and  "  busted "  the 
owners  of  many  of  them  became  as  the  sequel 
proved.  It  was  during  these  flush  times  that 
many  of  the  solid  merchants  and  business  men 
of  Omaha  laid  the  foundations  of  their  wealth 
and  commercial  prosperity.  In  the  winter  of 
1857  a  city  charter  wa.s  granted  to  Omaha,  and 
Jesse  Lowe,  one  of  its  original  founders,  was 
the  first  mayor.  In  1869,  it  was  chartered  as  a 
city  of  the  first  class.  Up  to  1867,  the  means 
of  public  communication  with  the  city  were 
stage-coaches,  overland  through  Iowa,  and  the 
steamers  on  the  Missouri  river.  In  the  winter 
the  latter  ceased  to  run.  Various  railroad  proj- 
ects were  agitated,  but  until  the  year  1862 
nothing  definite  was  accomplished.  Meanwhile 
the  growth  of  the  city  was  slow,  and  attended  . 


16 


with  varying  fortunes  and  prospects.  But  in 
that  year  an  act  was  passed  by  Congress,  author- 
izing the  construction  of  a  trunk  railroad  from 
the  100th  meridian — which  is  about  200  miles 
west  of  Omaha — and  two  branches,  from  points 
on  the  western  boundaries  of  Iowa  and  Mis- 
souri. The  first  branch  that  reached  the  100th 
meridian  was  authorized  to  build  the  trunk  line. 
The  terminus  of  the  northern  branch  was  fixed 
by  President  Lincoln  in  a  proclamation  dated 
November  17,  1863,  and  from  this  date  the 
progress  of  the  city  has  been  rapid  and  sub- 
stantial. This  is  manifested  by  the  fact  that 
in  1865  the  population  had  scarcely  reached 
4,500  souls,  while  in  January,  1875,  Omaha  had 
a  population  of  full  20,000, — an  increase  of 
15,500  in  ten  years.  This  remarkable  increase 
is  due  almost  wholly  to  the  location  of  the  Union 
Pacific  railroad,  and  from  the  fact  that  this  is 
the  initial  point  and  eastern  terminus  of  the 
road.  During  those  ten  years  marvelous  changes 
were  wrought  and  wonderful  improvements 
made,  until  Omaha  can  now  boast  of  as  fine 
business  blocks,  hotels,  school-buildings  and 
churches  as  can  be  found  in  many  older  and 
more  pretentious  cities  in  the  East;  while  the 
manufacturing  enterprises  now  in  operation  and 
contemplated,  will  surely  make  good  its  claim  as 
the  commercial  metropolis  of  the  Missouri  val- 
ley. Its  geographical  position  is  eminently 
commanding.  Its  railroad  connections  are  in- 
creasing, and  as  year  by  year  it  reaches  out  its 
iron  arms,  more  territory  will  be  brought  to  pay 
it  tribute  and  establish  its  supremacy  as  the 
seat  of  influence  and  power. 

The  first  railroad  that  reached  this  city  from 
the  East, was  the  Chicago  and  North-western — the 
first  train  over  it  arriving  on  Sunday,  January  17, 
1867.  Then  followed  the  Council  Bluffs  and  St. 
Joe,  the  Burlington  and  Missouri  River  and  the 
Chicago,  Rock  Island  and  Pacific.  After  these 
came  the  Sioux  City  and  Pacific,  the  Omaha  and 
North-western,  and  the  Omaha  and  South-western 
railroads.  The  last-named  road  has  been  leased 
by  the  Burlington  and  Missouri.  It  extends  to 
Lincoln,  the  capital  of  the  State ;  then  west- 
ward uniting  with  the  Union  Pacific  at  Kearney 
Junction.  It  has  a  branch  from  its  main  line  at 
Crete  to  Beatrice,  a  thriving  town  near  the 
southern  boundary  of  the  State.  The  Omaha  and 
North-western  is  completed  about  50  miles,  and 
follows  the  valley  of  the  Missouri  on  the  west 
side  of  that  river,  north  from  Omaha  It  will 
probably  soon  be  extended.  More  railroads  are 
contemplated  and  will  doubtless  soon  be  built. 

Omaha  is  well  supplied  with  churches,  and 
they  are  generally  well  supported,  though  some 
of  them  are  still  without  edifices  for  public  wor- 
ship. All  the  religious  denominations  are  repre- 
sented in  these  establishments,  and  some  of  the 
church  edifices  are  tasteful  and  elegant, — present- 
ing a  fine  architectural  appearance. 


In  public  schools,  however,  Omaha  is  without 
a  peer  or  a  rival  in  the  West.  In  1866,  the 
capitol  of  the  State  was  removed  to  Lincoln,  and 
the  legislature  afterwards  donated  the  square  and 
capitol  building  to  Omaha  for  high  school  pur- 
poses. The  old  capitol  building  was  torn  down, 
and  in  its  place  was  erected  the  present  high 
school  building ;  which  for  beauty  in  design  and 
elegance  in  finish  has  but  few,  if  any,  superiors 
in  the  country.  It  is  176  feet  long  by  80  feet 
wide.  The  spire  rises  185  feet  from  the  ground. 
It  fitly  crowns  a  hill,  overlooking  the  city,  plains 
and  valley  for  miles  in  either  direction,  and  is 
the  first  object  that  meets  the  eye  of  the  traveler 
as  he  approaches  the  gateway  of  the  Pacific 
coast.  Its  cost  was  about  $250,000,  and  is  the 
pride  of  the  city  by  whose  liberality  it  was  built. 
Other  elegant  school  buildings  have  been  erected 
in  different  parts  of  the  city,  the  total  costs  of 
which,  with  grounds,  including  the  high  school 
building,  amounts  to  $406,000.  There  are  also 
several  denominational  and  private  schools  which 
are  liberally  patronized. 

Here  are  the  government  buildings ;  such  as 
the  head-quarters  building  used  by  the  com- 
manding officers  of  the  military  department  of 
the  Platte ;  the  barracks  about  two  miles  north 
of  the  city,  and  the  elegant  post-office,  court- 
house and  custom-house  combined,  finished  last 
year  (1875). 

There  are  also  numerous  elegant  private  resi- 
dences, with  grounds  beautifully  ornamented 
with  trees  and  shrubbery,  and  magnificent  busi- 
ness blocks,  which  sufficiently  attest  the  solid 
prosperity  of  Omaha's  business  men. 

Travelers  who  take  advantage  of  the  oppor- 
tunity for  rest  which  this  city  offers,  may  be 
always  certain  of  good  hotel  accommodations. 
The  want  of  such  accommodations  was  recently 
felt,  not  only  by  citizens,  but  by  the  traveling 
public  a  few  years  ago.  But,  happily,  this  want 
has  been  supplied  in  the  erection  of  the  Grand 
Central  Hotel,  by  a  stock  company  in  1873.  It  is 
a  magnificent  structure,  132  x  122  feet,  and  five 
stories  high,  with  large  parlors,  dining-rooms  and 
suites  of  rooms,  all  elegantly  furnished,  and  is 
first-class  in  its  management  and  appointment. 
Those  who  enjoy  the  hospitality  of  this  fine 
hotel  once,  are  always  anxious  to  do  it  again.  It 
is,  without  doubt,  the  finest  structure,  and  the 
best  managed  establishment  of  the  kind  between 
Chicago  and  San  Francisco.  Its  cost  was  fully 
$300,000,  not  including  furniture.  Railroad 
ticket-offices  and  telegraph-offices  may  be  found 
on  the  first  floor  of  this  hotel,  with  furnish- 
ing stores,  etc.,  convenient.  Its  halls  and  public 
rooms  are  heated  by  steam,  and  it  has  water  on 
the  lower  floors,  with  gas  throughout.  The  fur- 
niture cost  over  $50,000.  It  has  150  rooms  for 
the  accommodation  of  its  guests. 

In  manufactures,  Omaha  begins  to  loom  up. 
She  has  an  oil-mill,  which  supplies  the  extensive 


17 


demand  for  linseed  oil  and  oil-cake  in  the  Mis- 
souri Valley;  several  breweries,  two  distiller- 
ies, foundry  and  machine-shops ;  carriage  and 
wagon-shops  and  other  manufactories,  either  in 
progress  or  in  contemplation.  Among  these  may 
be  found  in  active  operation,  the  extensive 
machine-shops,  car  works  and  foundry  of  the 
Union  Pacific  Railroad,  and  the  Omaha  smelting- 
works.  The  shops  of  the  railroad  occupy,  with 
the  roundhouse,  about  30  acres  of  land  on  the 
bottom  adjoining  the  table-land  on  which  most 
of  the  city  proper  is  built.  Over  one  million  of 
dollars  are  paid  out  annually  by  the  company  for 
office  and  manual  labor  alone,  in  the  city  of 
Omaha.  This  does  not  include  payments  for 
merchandise  and  supplies.  The  value  of  this 
business,  and  the  location  of  these  shops  to  the 
city  can  therefore  bs  readily  seen,  and  is  no 
small  factor  in  Omaha's  prosperity. 

One  of  ths  principal  causes  of  Omaha's  growth 
and  prosperity  will  be  found  in  tlu  character 
of  its  newspapers,  tha  Herald,  tha  Republican 
and  the  Bee.  Ths  Omnha  Arrow,  the  first  news- 
paper, was  not  strictly  an  Omaha  concern,  it 
being  published  in  the  office  of  the  Kaneuville 
(Council  Bluffs)  Bugle.  The  Nebr-ixkian  was 
established  shortly  after  the  Arrow  (1854),  and 
lived  until  183  L  In  1857,  the  Weekly  Times 
was  established,  which  was  afterwards  absorbed 
by  the  Nebraskian.  In  May,  1858,  the  first 
number  of  the  Omaha  Republican  was  issued. 
It  was  consolidated  with  a  rival  republican 
paper,  the  Omaha  Tribune,  in  1871.  The  last- 
named  papar  was  started  on  the  25th  of  January 
in  1870.  In  1884,  the  Omaha  Daily  Herald  was 
first  issued.  It  is  democratic  in  politics,  and  a 
lively,  vigorous  sheet.  The  Daily  Evening  Times 
was  started  in  the  latter  part  of  1868,  and  was 
moved,  the  following  spring,  to  Sioux  City.  In 
June,  1871,  the  publication  of  the  Daily  Evening 
Bee  was  commenced.  It  is  republican  in 
politics,  and  a  wide-awake  paper.  The  Omaha 
Union  (daily)  was  also  established  in  1874,  by 
the  Printers'  Union,  on  the  co-operative  plan. 
It  was  a  spicy,  energetic  little  sheet,  but  was 
short-lived. 

Business  of  Omaha. — Facts  Interest- 
ing and  Curious. — When  Omaha  was  first 
entitled  to  the  honor  of  a  post-office,  the  story  is 
told  that  the  first  postmaster  used  his  hat  for  a 
post-office,  which  he  carried  with  him  wherever 
he  went,  delivering  to  anxious  individuals  who 
were  waiting  eagerly  for  him,  or  chased  and  over- 
took him.  Twenty  years  after,  Omaha  possesses 
a  handsome  stone  post-office  worth  $350,000,  and 
the  finest  government  building  west  of  the 
Mississippi  River.  The  total  receipts  at  this  post- 
office  for  1875,  were  $1,089,660.34.  The  total 
number  of  letters  and  newspapers  delivered  was 
1,313,640;  and  number  of  money  orders  issued 
and  received,  16,070. 

In  1861,  the   first   telegraph   reached   Omaha, 

2 


and  its  only  office  was,  for  several  years,  the 
terminus  of  the  Pacific  Telegraph.  Now  there 
are  2 }  telegraph  wires  radiating  in  all  directions ; 
15  offices,  employing  40  operators.  The  number 
of  messages  per  day  average  3,500,  or  about  350,- 
000  letters,  of  which  about  one-third  relates  to 
Pacific  railroad  business. 

The  total  value  of  school  buildings  in  Omaha 
is  $405,000,  and  the  sum  spent  for  erecting  new 
buildings  and  stores  in  1875,  was  $360,000. 

Omaha  is  the  head-quarters  of  the  army  of 
the  Platte,  and  disburses  per  annum  about 
$950,000,  besides  an  annual  transportation  ac- 
count with  the  Pacific  Railroad  Company  of 
$350,000. 

In  1865,  Omaha  did  not  have  a  single  manu- 
facturing establishment.  In  1875,  her  manufac- 
tories employed  over  2,000  men.  Here  are  located 
the  largest  smelting  and  refining  works  in 
America,  the  Omaha  smelting-works,  who  em- 
ploy 135  men,  and  do  an  annual  business  of 
over  $4,000,000.  Seven  breweries  turn  out  14,000 
barrels  of  beer.  One  distillery  pays  the  govern- 
ment a  tax  of  $316,000  per  year,  and  upward  of  50 
other  smaller  enterprises,  among  which  is  a  not- 
able industry,  the  manufacture  of  brick ;  over 
500,000,000  brick  being  turned  out  of  her  four 
brick-yards.  The  bank  capital  and  surplus  ex- 
ceed $3,000,000. 

In  overland  times,  before  the  building  of  the 
Pacific  Railroad,  or  just  at  its  commencement,  the 
wholesale  trade  of  Omaha  was  wonderful.  Single 
houses  handling  as  much  as  $3,000,000  per  an- 
num. Since  that  time  the  courses  of  trade  have 
been  so  divided,  that  the  largest  sales  now  of  any 
wholesale  establishment  do  not  exceed  $1,200,000. 

Large  quantities  of  Utah  fruit  are  received  at 
Omaha,  both  dried  and  fresh,  and  a  large  market 
opened ;  40  car-loads  were  received  in  1875,  from 
Salt  Lake  City.  This  is  one  of  the  greatest 
curiosities  developed  by  the  Pacific  Railroad. 
Corn  is  shipped  west  from  Omaha  to  feed  the 
inhabitants  of  tl*e  Salt  Lake  Valley,  while  the 
same  cars  bring  back  their  surplus  fruit.  In 
1871,  the  first  shipment  of  fruit  was  made,  300 
pounds.  In  1875,  the  trade  amounted  to  900,000 
pounds. 

The  business  of  collecting  and  drying  hides, 
buffalo  robes,  pelts  and  furs  alone  is  $150,000 
per  year,  and  to  supply  the  prairie  settlements 
with  such  modern  inventions  as  the  sewing- 
machine,  requires  over  $250,000  per  year;  one 
company  alone  having  sold  last  year  $191,000 
worth.  One  dealer  reports  a  sale  of  such  frivoli- 
ties as  568  Canary  birds,  and  331  baby  carriages. 

Perhaps  the  best  index  of  the  enormous  trade 
of  Omaha  is  gained  from  the  statements  of  rail- 
road transportation.  The  total  number  of  cars 
of  freight  received  at  Omaha  from  the  East,  'in 
1875,  was  10,045,  of  which  above  3,689  were  of 
coal,  and  1.500  additional  of  grain  from  the 
West.  The  freight  paid  by  Omaha  merchants 


18 


in  1875  upon  goods  received  for  consumption  was 
$744,24:8.  From  the  West  there  were  received 
1,277  cars  of  bullion,  40  of  ore,  and  4  for  soda. 
These  items  are  of  the  trade  and  consumption  of 
Omaha  only,  and  not  the  main  traffic  of  the 
railroad. 

These  are  only  a  few  of  the  many  important 
items  which  show  how  vast  a  business  has  been 
built  in  20  years,  from  the  smooth,  unopened 
prairie  soil,  now  made  rich  and  active  with  the 
hum  of  industry. 

The  U.  P.  R.  It.  Bridge  Across  the 
Missouri  River. — The  huge  bridge,  which 
spans  the  Missouri,  is  a  fitting  entrance  to  the 
wonders  beyond — a  mechanical  wonder  of  itself, 
it  fills  every  traveler  with  a  sense  of  awe  and 
majesty,  as  the  first  great  scene  of  the  overland 
journey. 

The  last  piece  of  iron  of  the  last  span  which 
completed  the  bridge  was  fastened  in  its  place 
on  the  20th  of  February,  1872.  Previous  to  that 
time,  all  passengers  and  traffic  were  transferred 
across  the  treacherous  and  shifting  shores  of  the 
Missouri  River  in  steam-boats  with  flat  keel,  and 
with  the  ever-shifting  currents  and  sand-bars, 
safe  landings  were  always  uncertain.  The  bridge 
comprises  1 1  spans,  each  span  250  feet  in  length, 
and  elevated  50  feet  above  high  water-mark. 
These  spans  are  supported  by  one  stone  masonry 
abutment,  and  11  piers  with  22  cast-iron  col- 
umns; each  pier  is  8  1-2  feet  in  diameter,  and 
made  of  cast-iron  in  tubes  one  and  three-fourths 
inches  in  thickness,  10  feet  in  length,  with  a 
weight  of  eight  tons.  As  fast  as  the  tubes  of 
the  columns  are  sunk,  they  are  fitted  together, 
seams  made  air-tight,  and  process  continued  till 
the  complete  depth  and  height  is  attained.  Dur- 
ing the  building  of  the  bridge  from  February, 
1869,  when  work  first  commenced,  until  com- 
pletion in  1872  (excepting  a  period  of  eight 
mouths  suspension),  about  500  men  were  con- 
stantly employed.  Ten  steam-engines  were  in 
use  for  the  purpose  of  operating  the  pneumatic 
works  to  hoist  the  cylinders,  help  put  the  super- 
structure into  position,  to  drive  piles  for  tempo- 
rary platforms  and  bridges,  and  to  excavate  sand 
within  the  columns.  The  columns  were  sunk 
into  the  bed  of  the  river  after  being  placed  in 
correct  position  by  the  following  method  :  The 
top  of  the  column  being  made  perfectly  air-tight, 
all  water  beneath  is  extracted  by  pneumatic 
exhaustion.  Then  descending  into  the  interior,  a 
force  of  workmen  excavate  the  sand  and  earth, 
filling  buckets  which  are  quickly  hoisted  up- 
wards by  the  engines.  When  the  excavation 
has  reached  one  or  more  feet,  the  column  sinks 
gradually  inch  by  inch,  more  or  less  rapidly,  un- 
til a  solid  bottom  is  reached. 

The  least  time  in  which  any  column  was  sunk 
to  bed  rock  from  the  commencement  of  the  pneu- 
matic process  was  seven  days,  and  the  greatest 
single  depth  of  sinking  at  one  time  was  17  feet. 


The  greatest  depth  below  low  water  which  was 
reached  by  any  column,  at  bed  rock,  was  82  feet. 
The  g?-eatest  pressure  to  which  the  men  working 
in  the  columns  were  subjected,  was  54  pounds  per 
square  inch  in  excess  of  the  atmosphere.  When 
solid  foundation  is  once  obtained,  the  interior  of 
the  columns  are  filled  with  solid  stone  concrete 
for  about  25  feet,  and  thence  upward  with  ce- 
ment masonry,  till  the  bridge  is  reached. 

The  total  length  of  the  iron  structure  cf  the 
bridge  is  2,750  feet.  The  eastern  approach  is  by 
an  embankment  of  gradual  ascent  one  and  a 
half  miles  in  length,  commencing  east  of  the 
Transfer  grounds,  and  almost  at  Council  Bluffs, 
and  thence  ascending  at  the  rate  of  35  feet  to 
the  mile  to  the  bridge. 

The  old  depot  grounds  of  the  Union  Pacific 
Railroad  were  on  the  bank  of  the  river  immedi- 
ately beneath  the  bridge.  When  this  was  con- 
structed, in  order  to  connect  the  bridge  and  main 
line  of  the  railroad,  it  was  necessary  to  construct, 
directly  through  the  city,  a  branch  line  of 
road  7,000  feet  in  length,  and  construct  a 
new  depot  on  higher  ground,  of  which  as 
a  result,  witness  the  handsome,  new  structure, 
and  spacious  roof,  and  convenient  waiting- 
rooms.  From  the  first  abutment  to  the  bank, 
a  trestle-work  of  700  feet  more,  60  feet  in 
height  was  constructed;  thus  the  entire  length 
of  the  bridge,  with  necessary  approaches,  is 
9,950  feet.  Total  cost  is  supposed  to  be 
about  $2,650,000,  and  the  annual  revenue 
about  $400,000.  The  bridge  has  figured  nota- 
bly in  the  discussions  of  Congress,  whether 
or  not  it  should  be  considered  a  part  of 
the  Union  Pacific  Railroad.  The  recent  de- 
cision of  the  United  States  Supreme  Court 
has  at  last  declared  it  so  to  be.  and  with  this  is 
done  away  entirely  the  "  Omaha  Bridge  Trans- 
fer "  of  the  past. 

Preparing  for  the  Westivard  Trip. — 
Having  rested  and  visited  the  principal  points 
of  interest  in  Omaha,  you  will  be  ready  to  take 
a  fresh  start.  Repairing  to  the  new  depot,  fin- 
ished last  year  (1875),  at  the  crossing  of  Ninth 
street,  you  will  find  one  of  the  most  magnificent 
trains  of  cars  made  up  by  any  railroad  in  the 
United  States.  Everything  connected  with  them 
is  first-class.  Pullman  sleeping-coaches  are  at- 
tached to  all  express  trains,  and  all  travelers 
know  how  finely  they  are  furnished,  and  how 
they  tend  to  relieve  the  wearisome  monotony  of 
tedious  days  in  the  journey  from  ocean  to  ocean. 
At  this  depot  you  will  find  the  waiting-rooms, 
ticket-offices,  baggage-rooms,  lunch-stands,  news 
and  bookstand,  together  with  one  of  the  best 
kept  eating-houses  in  the  country.  You  will  find 
gentlemanly  attendants  at  all  these  places,  ready 
to  give  you  any  information,  and  cheerfully 
answer  your  questions.  If  you  have  a  little  time, 
step  into  the  Union  Pacific  Land  office  adjoining 
the  depot,  on  the  east,  and  see  some  of  the  pro- 


19 


cl actions  of  this  prolific  western  soil.  If  you 
have  come  from  the  far  East,  it  has  been  a  slightly 
itphill  journey  all  the  way,  and  you  are  now  at 
an  elevation  of  966  feet  above  the  sea.  If  the 
weather  is  pleasant,  you  may  already  begin  to 
feel  the  exhilarating  effect  of  western  breezes, 
and  comparatively  dry  atmosphere.  With  books 
and  papers  to  while  away  .your  leisure  hours,  you 
are  finally  ready  for  the  start.  The  bell  rings, 
the  whistle  shrieks,  and  off  you  go.  The  road 
first  winds  up  a 
little  valley,  passing 
the  Bridge  Junction 
1.5  (one  and  five- 
tenths)  miles  to 

Summit  Sid- 
inff,  —  3.2  miles 
from  Omaha ;  eleva- 
tion 1,142  feet.  This 
place,  you  will  ob- 
serve by  these  fig- 
ures, is  reached  by 
a  heavy  up  grade. 
You  are  176  feet 
higher  than  when 
you  first  started,  and 
but  little  over  three 
miles  away.  Here  is 
a  deep  cut  through 
the  hill,  and  beyond 
it  you  strike  Mud 
Creek  Valley  with 
a  down  grade  for  a 
few  miles.  This 
creek  and  the  road 
run  south  on  a  line 
nearly  parallel  with, 
and  about  two  and 
a  half  miles  from, 
the  Missouri  River 
until  the  next  sta- 
tion is  reached. 

GUmore. — It  is 
9.5  miles  from  Oma- 
ha, with  only  10  feet 
difference  in  eleva- 
tion—976  feet.  The 
valley  is  quite  thick- 
ly settled,  and  as  you 


look  out  on  the  left 

side  of  the  cars,  about  four  miles  from  Omaha, 
you  will  see  a  saloon  called  Half-Way  House. 
At  about  this  point  you  leave  Douglas  County 
and  enter  Sarpy  County.  Gilmore'was  named 
after  an  old  resident  of  that  locality,  now  dead 
Here  you  are  some  nine  miles  south  of  Omaha, 
but  only  about  three  west  of  the  Missouri 
River.  Here  you  will  first  s-e  what  are  called 
the  bottom  lands  of  Nebraska.  They  are  as 
rich  as  any  lands  on  this  Continent,  as  the  re- 
markable crops  raised  thereon  fully  attest. 
From  this  station  you  turn  nearly  due  west,  and 


pass  over  the  lower  circle  of  what  is  called  the 
ox-bow. 

Papilion, —  14  5  miles  from  Omaha;  eleva- 
tion 972  feet,  is  the  next  station,  and  is  a  thriv- 
ing little  town  (pronounced  Pa-pil-yo).  It  derives 
its  name  from  the  creek  on  whose  banks  it  is  situ- 
ated. This  creek  was  named  by  Lewis  and  Clark 
in  their  expedition  to  Oregon,  in  1804,  and  is 
derived  from  a  Latin  word  which  means  butter- 
fly. The  main  branch  was  crossed  a  little  west 
ofGilmore.  It  emp- 
ties into  the  Mis- 
souri River  about 
one  mile  north  of 
the  Platte  River.  It 
is  reported  that  the 
early  explorers 
named,  saw  an  im- 
mense number  of 
butterflies  in  the 
muddy  and  wet 
places  near  its 
mouth,  and  hence 
the  name.  These 
gentlemen  explored 
this  stream  to  its 
source,  near  the  Elk- 
horn  River.  The 
town  was  laid  out 
in  the  fall  of  1869 
by  Dr.  Beadle,  and 
is  the  permanent 
county-seat  of  Sar- 
py County.  It  has 
a  fine  brick  court- 
house, and  a  brick 
school-house,  hotels, 
flouring  mills  and  a 
grain  ware-house ;  is 
located  as  are  all 
the  towns  on  the 
first  two  hundred 
miles  of  this  road, 
in  the  midst  of  a 
rich  agricultural 
country.  Sarpy 
County  has  two 
newspapers  —  one 
the  Pupilion  Times, 
published  at  this 


GOOD-BYE." 

place,  and  the  other,  the  Sarpy  County  Sentinel 
published  at  Sarpy  Center,  some  five  miles  in 
the  country  from  this  station.  Sarpy  is  one 
of  the  best  settled  counties  in  Nebraska,  and 
has  a  property  valuation  of  over  $3,000,000. 

Millar<t—\s  named  for  Hon.  Ezra  Millard, 
president  of  the  Omaha  National  Bank,  who  has 
considerable  landed  property  here.  The  station- 
house  is  comparatively  new,  and  there  are  a  few 
other  buildings  recently  erected.  It  is  pleas- 
antly located,  and,  like  all  western  towns,  has 
plenty  of  room  to  grow.  It  is  20.9  miles  from 


20 


Omaha ;  elevation,  1,047  feet.  Evidences  of 
thrift  are  everywhere  visible  as  you  cast  your 
eyes  over  the  rolling  prairies,  and  yet  there  is 
ample  room  for  all  who  desire  to  locate  in  this 
vicinity.  You  have  again  crossed  the  boundary 
line  of  Sarpy  County,  which  is  a  mile  or  two 
south-east  of  Millard,  and  are  again  in  the 
County  of  Douglas. 

Elkliorn. — 28.9  miles  from  Omaha,  elevation 
1,150  feet.  This  is  a  growing  town,  and  does  a 
large  business  in  grain ;  it  has  an  elevator,  two 
stores,  a  Catholic  church,  good  school-house,  and 
a  hotel.  A  new  flouring-mill  will  be  erected  this 
year  (1876).  It  has  a  sprightly  newspaper  called 
the  Independent.  You  are  now  near  the  famous 
Elkhorn  Valley  and  River.  By  a  deep  cut, 
the  railroad  makes  its  way  through  the  bluff  or 


stream,  where  they  were  previously  unknown. 
The  elevation  of  Waterloo  is  laid  down  at  1,140 
feet.  The  town  has  a  fine  water-power  which 
has  been  improved  by  the  erection  of  a  large 
nouring-mill.  It  also  has  a  steam-mill  in  process 
of  construction,  and  a  new  depot.  At  this  point 
you  enter  the  Platte  Valley,  of  which  so  much 
has  been  written  and  which  occupies  such  a 
prominent  place  in  the  history  of  the  country. 
The  Elkhorn  and  Platte  Rivers  form  a  junction  a 
few  miles  south  of  this  point,  and  the  banks  of 
these  streams  are  more  or  less  studded  with  tim- 
ber, mostly  cottonwood.  In  fact,  the  Elkhorn 
has  considerable  timber  along  its  banks. 

Valley — is  35.2  miles  from  Omaha,  and  is 
1,120  feet  above  the  sea.  It  has  a  store  and 
hotel,  and  is  the  center  of  a  rich  farming  dis- 


N1GIIT   SCENE.      PKAIRIE   ON   FIRE. 


hill  on  the  east  side  of  this  stream,  about  a  mile 
from  the  station,  and  then  on  a  down  grade  you 
glide  into  the  valley.  The  rolling  prairies  are 
now  behind  you  and  south,  beyond  the  Platte 
River,  which  for  the  first  time  comes  into  view. 
Crossing  the  Elkhorn  River  you  arrive  at 

Waterloo, — 30.9  miles  from  Omaha,  and 
only  two  miles  from  the  last  station.  A  few 
years  since,  a  train  was  tin-own  from  the  bridge 
spoken  of,  by  reason  of  the  high  water  of  a 
freshet.  This  train  had  one  car  of  either  young 
fish  or  fish-eggs  in  transit ;  the  contents  of  this 
car  were  of  course  lost  in  the  river,  and  since 
that  time  the  Elkhorn  abounds  in  pike,  pickerel, 
bass,  sunfish  and  perch.  What  the  California 
sti'eams  lost  by  this  disaster,  the  Elkhorn  gained, 
as  these  fish  have  increased  rapidly  in  this 


trict.  The  land  seems  low,  and  one  would  easily 
gain  the  impression  that  the  soil  here  was  very 
wet,  but  after  digging  through  the  black  surface 
soil  two  or  three  feet  you  come  to  just  such  sand 
as  is  found  in  the  channel  of  the  Platte.  In 
fact,  the  whole  Platte  Valley  is  underdrained  by 
this  river,  and  this  is  one  reason  why  surface 
water  from  hard  and  extensive  rains  so  quickly 
disappear,  and  why  the  land  is  able  to  produce 
such  good  crops  in  a  dry  season.  Water  is  ob- 
tained anywhere  in  this  valley  by  sinking 
what  are  called  drive-wells,  from  six  to  twenty 
feet.  Wind-mills  are  also  extensively  used 
by  large  farmers,  who  have  stock  which 
they  confine  upon  their  premises,  and  which 
otherwise  they  would  have  to  drive  some 
distance  for  water.  A  branch  of  the  Union 


21 


Pacific    llailroad    runs   to    Wahoo    and    David 
City. 

Itiversifle,  —  which  is  41.4  miles  from 
Omaha,  with  an  elevation  of  about  1,140  feet. 
It  will  eventually  become  a  station,  as  many 
trains  already  meet  and  pass  here. 

Prairie  Firei*. — During  the  first  night's 
ride  westward  from  Omaha,  the  traveler,  as 
he  gazes  out  of  his  car  window  (which  he 
can  easily  do  while  reclining  in  his  berth)  will 
often  find  his  curious  attention  rewarded  by  a 
sight  of  one  of  ths  most  awful,  yet  grandest 
scenes  of  prairie  life.  The  prairies,  which  in 
the  day-time  to  some,  seemed  dry,  dull,  uninter- 
esting, occasionally  give  place  at  night,  to  the 
lurid  play  of  the  fire-fiend,  and  the  heavens 
and  horizon  seem  like  a  furnace.  A  prairie  on 
fire  is  a  fearfully  exciting  and  fear-stirring  sight. 
Cheeks  blanch  as  the  wind  sweeps  its  volume 
toward  the  observer,  or  across  his  track.  Full  in 
the  distance  is  seen  the  long  line  of  bright  flame 
stretching  for  miles,  with  its  broad  band  of  dark 
smoke-clouds  above.  As  the  train  comes  near, 
the  flames  leap  higher,  and  the  smoke  ascends 
higher,  and  on  their  dark  bosom  is  reflected  the 
fires'  brilliantly-tinged  light.  Sweeping  away  for 
miles  towards  the  bluffs,  the  fire  jumps  with  the 
wind,  and  the  flames  leap  20  to  30,  or  more 
feet  into  the  air,  and  for  miles  brighten  the 
prairies  with  tne  awful  sight.  We  have  never 
seen  anything  of  prairie  life  or  scenery  possessing 
such  majestic  brilliance  as  the  night  glows,  and 
rapid  advances  of  a  prairie  fire.  Far  out  on 
the  prairies,  beyond  the  settlements,  the  prairie 
fires,  (usually  set  on  fire  by  the  sparks  from 
the  locomotives)  rage  unchecked  for 
miles  and  miles,  but  nearer  to  the  little 
settlements,  where  the  cabins  have 
just  been  sat  up,  the  fire  is  their  deadli- 
est and  most  dreaded  enemy.  No  words 
can  describe,  no  pencil  paint  the  look  of 
terror  when  the  settler  beholds  advanc- 
ing toward  him  the  fire-fiend,  for  which 
he  is  unprepared  and  unprotected. 
When  the  first  sign  of  the  advancing 
fire  is  given,  all  hands  turn  out ;  either 
a  counter  fire  is  started,  which,  eating 
from  the  settler's  ranch,  in  the  face  of 
the  wind,  toward  the  grander  coming 
volume,  takes  away  its  force,  and  leaves 
it  nothing  to  feed  upon,  or  furrows 
are  broken  with  the  plow  around  the 
settler's  home.  The  cool  earth  thrown 
up,  and  all  the  grass  beyond  this  is 
fired,  while  the  little  home  enclosed 
within,  is  safe.  A  curious  feature  of 
prairie  fires  is,  that  the  buffalo  grass, 
the  next  season,  is  darker  and  richer 
than  ever  before  ;  and  lower  down,  in 
sections  where  the  prairie  fires  are 
carefully  kept  off,  trees,  shrubs,  bushes,  etc., 
of  many  varieties,  grow  up  spontaneously, 


which  never  were  seen  before.  So  long  as 
prairie  fires  rage,  nothing  will  grow  but  the  little 
tufts  of  prairie  grass.  Wherever  the  prairie  fire 
ceases  or  is  kept  restrained,  vegetation  of  all  de- 
scription as  far  west  as  the  Platte,  is  completely 
changed.  In  the  fall  of  the  year  these  fires  are 
most  frequent ;  and  creating  a  strong  current  or 
breeze  by  their  own  heat,  they  advance  with  the 
rapidity  often  of  a  locomotive,  20  or  more  miles 
an  hour,  and  their. terrible  lurid  light  by  night, 
and  blackened  path  left  behind,  as  seen  next  day 
by  the  traveler,  are  sights  never  to  be  forgotten. 
In  the  lower  river  counties  a  prairie  fire  often 
originates  from  the  careless  dropping  of  a  match, 
or  the  ashes  shaken  from  a  pipe.  The  little 
spark  touches  the  dry  grass  like  tinder — the  con- 
stant breeze  fans  the  little  flame,  and  five  minutes 
after  it  has  covered  yards.  The  loss  to  tillers  of 
the  soil  is  often  appalling.  One  of  General 
Sherman's  veterans,  in  describing  a  prairie  fire  to 
a  visitor,  raising  himself  to  his  full  six  feet 
height,  and  with  eve  flashing  as  in  battle  excite- 
ment, said :  "  Mr.  C.,  if  1  should  catch  a  man  firing 
the  prairie  at  this  time,  as  God  helps  me,  I  would 
shoot  him  down  in  his  deed."  A  traveler  riding 
on  the  prairie  said,  "  only  a  few  miles  from  me 
an  emigrant,  traveling  in  his  close-covered  wagon 
"  with  the  wind,  "  was  overtaken  by  the  flames 
coming  down  on  him  unseen.  Horses,  family, 
wagon,  were  all  destroyed  in  a  moment,  and  him- 
self barely  lived  long  enough  to  tell  the  tale. 
Nearly  every  night  in  autumn  the  prairies  of  the 
boundless  West,  show  either  the  near  or  distant 
glow  of  a  fire,  which  in  extent  has  the  appear- 
ance of  another  burning  Chicago. 


BUSTED." 


Pike's  Peak;  or  Busf. — This  expression  has 
become  widely  known,  and  received  its  origin  as 


K 


REPRESENTATIVE  MEN  OF  THE  UNION  PACIFIC  RAILROAD. 


follows : — At  the  time  of  the  opening  of  the 
Pike's  Peak  excitement  in  gold  diggings,  two 
pioneers  made  themselves  conspicuous  by  paint- 
ing in  large  letters  on  the  side  of  their  wagon 
cover  : — "  Pike's  Peak  or  Bu*t."  In  their  haste  to 
reach  this,  the  newly  discovered  Eldorado,  they 
scorned  all  safety  and  protection  offered  by  the 
"train  "  and  traveled  alone,  and  on  their  "own 
hook." 

For  days  and  weeks  they  escaped  the  dangers 
attending  their  folly,  and  passed  unharmed  until 
they  readied  the  roving  ground  of  the  bloody 
Sioux.  Hhre  they  were  surrounded  and  cruelly 
and  wantonly  murdered ;  their  bodies  were  driven 
through  with  arrows,  »nd  pinned  to  the  earth, 
and  left  to  tha  sunshine  and  storms  of  the 
skies. 

Fremont — is  46.5  miles  from  Omaha,  and 
has  an  elevation  of  1,170  feet.  It  is  the  county- 
seat  of  Dodge  County,  and  has  a  population  of 
full  3,000.  In  the  year  1875,  over  $100,000  were 
expended  in  buildings  in  this  growing  young 
city.  It  has  never,  so  far  as  population  is  con- 
cerned, experienced  what  may  be  called  a  great 
rush— its  growth  having  been  slow  and  steady. 
It  is  located  near  the  south-east  corner  of  the 
county.  Originally  the  town  comprised  a  whole 
section  of  land,  but  was  afterwards  reduced  to 
about  half  a  section.  Tin  town  company  was  or- 
ganized on  the  26th  day  of  August,  1856,  and  in 
that  and  the  following  year,  thirteen  log  houses 
were  built.  John  C.  Hormel  built  the  first  frame 
house  in  1857.  The  Union  Pacific  reached  the 
town  on  the  24th  day  of  January,  1866,  nearly 
ten  years  after  it  was  first  laid  out,  and  trains 
ran  to  it  regularly,  though  the  track  was  laid 
some  11  miles  beyond,  when  work  ceased  for  that 
winter.  The  Sioux  City  and  Pacific  road  was 
completed  to  Fremont  late  in  the  fall  of  1868. 
In  the  expectations  of  the  residents,  it  was  then 
to  become  a  railroad  center,  and  lots  were  sold  at 
large  prices.  This  last-named  road  runs  from 
Blair  on  the  Missouri  River,  where  it  crosses 
said  stream  and  forms  a  junction  with  the  Chi- 
cago and  North-western.  It  then  runs  north  on 
the  east  side  of  said  river,  to  Sioux  City.  The 
Elkhorn  Valley  Railroad  completed  the  first  ten 
miles  of  its  track  in  1869,  and  the  balance,  some 
50  miles,  was  finished  to  Wisner  in  the  following 
year.  This  road  is  one  of  the  natural  routes  to 
the  Black  Hills,  and  it  is  now  stated  that  it  will 
soon  be  extended  in  that  direction.  It  will  con- 
tinue up  the  Elkhorn  Valley  to  near  its  source, 
and  then  crossing  the  divide,  will  strike  into  the 
Niobrara  Valley,  thence  westward  until  the  Black 
Hills  are  reached.  This  road  is  a  feeder  to  Fre- 
mont, and  very  valuable  to  its  trade.  The  Atch- 
ison  and  Nebraska  Railroad,  is  to  be  extended 
from  Lincoln  to  this  place,  during  the  present 
year  (1876).  The  city  will  then  have  a  direct 
line  to  St.  Louis  and  the  South,  with  two  direct 
lines  to  Chicago  and  the  East.  Other  railroad 


projects  are  contemplated,  which  will  make  this 
place  in  reality  a  railroad  center. 

Fremont  has  a  large,  new  hotel,  the  Occi- 
dental, and  several  smaller  ones  ;  has  the 
finest  opera  house  in  the  West,  and  the  largest 
and  finest  dry-goods  house  in  the  State.  It 
has  five  or  six  church  edifices,  and  an  ele- 
gant public  school  building,  two  banks, 
three  or  four  elevators,  a  steam  flouring 
mill,  extensive  broom  factories,  and  two  or 
three  manufacturing  establishments  where 
headers  are  made.  It  also  has  a  foundry 
and  machine-shop.  It  is  now  a  regular  eat- 
ing station  on  the  railroad,  all  passenger 
trains  east  or  west  stopping  here  for  din- 
ner, which  is  really  most  abundant  and  ex- 
cellent. 

Fremont  is  virtually  located  at  the  junction  of 
the  Elkhorn  and  Platte  Valleys,  and  from  its 
position  naturally  controls  a  large  scope  of  coun- 
try. Its  people  are  industrious,  wide-awake  and 
energetic.  It  is  in  the  midst  of  a  thickly-settled 
region,  and  its  future  prospects  are  very  flatter- 
ing. 

Fremont  has  two  newspapers  —  the  Fremont 
Herald  (daily  and  weekly),  and  the  Fremont 
'tribune  (weekly).  The  latter  was  first  estab- 
lished, and  probably  has  the  largest  circulation. 
The  enterprise  of  newspapers  in  these  western 
towns,  contribute  very  largely  to  their  growth 
and  prosperity.  The  town  is  the  fourth  in  size 
and  population  in  the  State. 

The  Elkhorn  Valley  is  between  two  and  three 
hundred  miles  in  length,  is  well  timbered  and 
remarkably  fertile,  and  the  railroad  which  is  to 
do  the  carrying  business  of  this  valley,  has  its 
terminus  at  Fremont. 

The  Ch'eat  Platte  Valley. — You  have 
now  passed  over  a  few  miles  of  the  great 
Platte  Valley.  At  Fremont  it  spreads  out  won- 
derfully, and  for  the  first  two  hundred  miles 
varies  in  width  from  five  to  fifteen  miles. 
Through  nearly  all  its  eastern  course,  this  river 
hugs  the  bluffs  on  its  southern  side.  These  bluffs 
as  well  as  those  more  distant  on  the  northern  side 
of  the  valley,  are  plainly  visible  from  the  cars. 
Before  the  road  was  built,  this  valley  was  the 
great  highway  of  overland  travel  to  Colorado, 
Utah,  California,  and  Oregon.  Immense  trains 
of  wagons,  heavily  freighted,  have  passed  over  it, 
in  their  slow  and  tedious  journeyings  towards 
the  setting  sun.  Leaving  the  Missouri  at  differ- 
ent points,  the  routes  nearly  all  converged  in  the 
Platte  Valley,  and  thence  westward  to  their  des- 
tination. The  luxuriant  grasses,  and  the  prox- 
imity to  water,  made  this  the  favorite  route.  It 
has  also  been  the  scene  of  deadly  conflicts  with 
the  savages,  and  the  bones  of  many  a  wanderer 
lie  bleaching  in  the  air,  or  are  buried  beneath 
some  rough  and  hastily-made  mound  near  the 
beaten  road.  But  a  wonderful  change  took  place 
with  the  advent  of  the  road.  The  "  bull- whacker," 


24 


•with  his  white-covered  wagon  and  raw-boned 
oxen — his  slang  phrases,  and  profane  expressions, 
his  rough  life,  and  in  many  instances  violent 
death — the  crack  of  his  long  lash  that  would  ring 
out  in  the  clear  morning  air  like  that  of  a  rifle,  and 
his  wicked  goad  or  prod — an  instrument  of  tor- 
ture to  his  beasts — with  all  that  these  things 
imply,  have  nearly  passed  away.  Their  glory 
has  departed,  and  in  their  place  is  the  snorting 
engine  and  the  thundering  train. 

The  remarkable  agricultural  advantages  of 
this  valley  are  everywhere  visible,  and  it  is 
rapidly  filling  up  with  an  industrious  and  thrifty 
class  of  farmers.  The  land  grant  of  the  Union 
Pacific  Company  ext3nds  for  twenty  miles  on 
either  side  of  the  road,  and  includes  every  alter- 
nate section  of  land  that  was  not  taken  at  the 
time  it  was  withdrawn  from  the  market,  for  the 
benefit  of  the  company.  If  you  pass  a  long  dis- 
tance in  the  first  two  hundred  miles  of  this 
valley  without  observing  many  improvements,  it 
is  pretty  good  evidence  that  the  land  is  held  by 
non-resident  speculators,  and  this  fact  has  a 
great  influence  in  retarding  the  growth  of  the 
country.  Around  many  of  the  residences  are 
large  groves  of  cotton-wood  trees  that  have  been 
planted  by  industrious  hands  and  which  give 
evidence  of  unusual  thrift.  In  fact,  the  cotton- 
wood  in  most  every  part  of  this  region  is  indig- 
enous to  the  soil,  and  will  thriftily  grow  where 
other  kinds  of  timber  fail.  Trees  sixty  feet  high 
and  from  eight  to  ten  inches  in  diameter,  are  no 
uncommon  result  of  six  to  eight  years'  growth. 
The  banks  of  the  Platte  and  the  many  islands  in 
its  channel,  were  formerly  very  heavily  timbered 
with  cotton- wood,  but  that  on  its  banks  has 
almost  entirely  disappeared,  together  with  much 
that  was  upon  the  islands.  The  favorable  State 
ami  national  legislation  in  regard  to  tree  planting 
will  cause  an  increase  in  the  timber  land  of 
Nebraska  in  a  very  short  time,  and  must  of 
necessity,  have  an  influence  upon  its  climate. 
Many  scientists  who  are  familiar  with  the  cir- 
cumstances attending  the  rapid  development  of 
the  trans-Missouri  plains  and  the  elevated  plateau 
joining  the  base  of  the  Rocky  Mountains,  assert 
that  this  vast  region  of  country  is  gradually 
undergoing  important  climatic  changes — and  that 
one  of  the  results  of  these  changes  is  the  an- 
nually increasing  rainfall.  The  rolling  lands 
adjoining  this  valley  are  all  very  fertile,  and  with 
proper  tillage  produce  large  crops  of  small  grain. 
The  bottom  lands  are  better  adapted  for  corn, 
because  it  matures  later  in  the  season,  and  these 
bottom  lands  are  better  able  to  stand  drouth  than 
the  uplands.  The  roots  of  the  corn  penetrate  to  a 
great  depth,  till  they  reach  the  moisture  from 
the  under-drainage.  One  of  the  finest  sights 
that  meets  the  eye  of  the  traveler,  is  the  Platte 
Valley  in  the  spring  or  early  summer ;  to  our 
eastern  farmer,  it  is  fairly  captivating,  and  all 
who  are  familiar  with  farms  and  farming  in  the 


Eastern  States,  will  be  surprised ;  no  stumps  or 
stones  or  other  obstacles  appear  to  interfere  with 
the  progress  of  the  plow,  and  the  black  surface-soil 
is,  without  doubt,  the  accumulation  of  vegetable 
matter  for  ages.  The  Platte  Valley  must  be  seen 
to  be  appreciated.  Only  a  few  years  ago  it  was 
scarcely  tenanted  by  man,  and  while  the  develop- 
ment has  been  marked,  it  will  not  compare  with 
that  which  is  sure  to  take  place  in  the  near 
future.  There  is  ample  room  for  the  millions 
ye.t  to  come,  and  the  lands  of  the  Union  Pacific 
Company  are  exceedingly  cheap,  vaiying  in 
price  from  $3  to  $10  per  acre.  The  alternate 
sections  of  government  land  for  the  first  two 
hundred  miles  of  this  valley  are  nearly  all 
taken  by  hdmesteaders,  or  under  the  preemp- 
tion laws  of  congress.  Much  of  it,  however, 
can  be  purchased  at  a  low  price  from  the  occu- 
pants, who,  as  a  general  thing,  desire  to  sell  out 
and  go  West  still.  They  belong  to  the  uneasy, 
restless,  class  of  frontiers-men,  who  have  decided 
objections  to  neighbors  and  settlements,  and  who 
want  plenty  of  room,  with  no  one  to  molest,  in 
order  to  grow  up  with  the  country.  A  sod  house 
near  a  living  spring  of  water  is  to  them  a  small 
paradise.  They  might  possibly  suffer  from  thirst, 
if  they  had  to  dig  for  water,  and  the  labor  re- 
quired to  build  even  a  sod  house,  is  obnoxious. 
But  this  will  not  hold  good  of  all  of  them. 
There  are  many  occupants  of  these  sod  houses  in 
the  State  of  Nebraska,  and  other  parts  of  the 
West,  who,  with  scanty  means  are  striving  for  a 
home  for  their  wives  and  children,  and  they  cling 
to  the  soil  upon  which  they  have  obtained  a  claim 
with  great  tenacity,  and  with  sure  prospects  of 
success  They  are  worthy  of  all  praise  in  their 
self-sacrificing  efforts.  A  few  years  only  will 
pass  by  before  they  will  be  surrounded  with  all 
the  comforts  and  many  of  the  luxuries  of  life. 
These  are  the  experiences  of  many  who  "bless 
their  stars  "  to-day  that  they  have  sod  houses — 
homes — in  and  adjoining  the  great  Platte  Valley. 
Shooting  Prairie  Hens. — This  is  a  favor- 
ite scene,  often  witnessed  September  mornings  in 
the  far  West.  The  prairi0,  is  covered  with  its 
grass,  and  wild  flowers,  which  last  all  the  season 
through.  Here  and  there  is  a  stubble  field  of  oats, 
wheat,  or  acres  on  acres  of  the  golden  corn, 
swaying  gracefully  in  the  breeze,  and  perhaps 
there  is  a  little  music  from  the  meadow  larks  or 
bird  songsters  of  the  fields.  The  dogs  with  keen- 
est of  scent,  hunt  out  and  stir  up,the  game,  and 
as  they  rise  on  wing,  the  ready  gun  with  its  aim, 
and  deadly  shot,  brings  them  back  lifeless.  This 
is  probably  the  most  attractive  way  to  look  at  a 
prairie  hen,  for  we  must  confess  that  after  a  slice 
or  two  of  the  meat,  as  usually  served  at  the  eat- 
ing stations  of  the  railroads,  from  which  we 
escape  with  danger  to  our  front  teeth,  and  unsat- 
isfied stomachs,  we  can  only  exclaim  "  distance 
lends  enchantment."  However  tough  the  meat, 
if  served  on  the  table  when  first  killed,  yet  if 


25 


kept  till  it  grows  gradually  more  tender,  there  is 
a  wild,  spicy  flavor,  which  make  them  very  agree- 
able eating.  Buffalo  meat  and  prairie  hens  are 
not  altogether  reliable  as  viands  of  the  railroad 
dining  stations,  still  every  one  must  try  for  him- 
self, with  here  and  there  a  chance  of  finding 
sweet  tender  morsels. 


good  an  illustration  as  any,  of  the  rapid  growth 
of  some  of  the  western  towns  and  counties.  The 
county  was  organized  in  the  spring  of  1869,  two 
years  after  the  railroad  had  passed  through  it, — 
with  Schuyler  as  the  county-seat.  In  the  spring 
of  the  present  year,  1876,  it  has  an  assessed  valu- 
ation of  nearly  $1.250.000.  Evidences  of  sub- 


HUNT1NG   PRAIRIE   HENS. 


Ames — At  present  simply  a  side  track,  53.5 
miles  from  Omaha,  and  1,270  feet  above  the  sea. 
This  was  formerly  called  Ketchum ;  but  bears  its 
present  name  from  Oliver  Ames,  Esq.,  one  of  the 
builders  of  this  railroad.  Observe  the  size  of 
the  trees  in  the  cotton-wood  groves  and  hedges 
near  this  place — all  planted  within  the  memory 
of  the  oldest  inhabitant. 

North  lietid — 61.5  miles  from  the  eastern 
terminus  of  the  road,  and  1,259  feet  in  elevation, 
a  little  less  than  the  preceding  station.  This  is 
a  thriving  little  town,  with  several  stores,  hotel, 
lumber-yard,  grain  elevator,  etc.  It  is  soon  to 
have  a  bridge  across  the  Platte  River,  which  will 
materially  increase  its  trade  with  Saunders 
County  on  the  south.  The  opening  of  many  i'amis 
in  its  vicinity  have  made  it  quite  a  grain  ma  k(  t. 
The  town  is  so  named  from  a  northward  bend  in 
the  river,  and  it  is  the  northernmost  point  on  the 
Union  Pacific  in  the  State  of  Nebraska.  It  is 
the  last  town  west  in  Dodge  County. 

Rof/ers — is  a  side-track,  will  eventually  be- 
come a  station ;  is  in  the  midst  of  a  rich  farm- 
ing country  ;  is  68.5  miles  from  Omaha,  and  has 
an  elevation  of  1,359  feet. 

Schui/ler. — The  county-seat  of  Colfax  County. 
It  is  75.9  miles  from  Omaha,  with  an  elevation  of 
1,335  feet.  This  town  and  county,  perhaps,  is  as 


stantial  growth  are  everywhere  visible.  The 
town  has  about  twenty  stores,  of  all  kinds,  hotel, 
a  substantial  brick  court-house,  several  churches, 
a  beautiful  school-house,  grain  elevators,  etc. 
New  buildings  to  accommodate  its  increasing 
trade,  or  its  new  residents,  are  constantly  going 
up.  There  are  three  flouring-mills  in  the  county, 
on  Shell  Creek,  a  beautiful  stream  fed  by  living 
springs,  which  runs  nearly  through  the  county 
from  west  to  east,  and  from  one  to  five  miles 
north  of  the  railroad  track.  The  land  in  this 
county  is  most  excellent,  especially  the  rolling 
up-land  north  of  Shell  Creek.  Some  of  the  finest 
crops  of  spring  wheat  raised  in  the  West  are 
grown  in  this  vicinity.  The  people  are  turning 
their  attention  to  stock-raising  more  than  for- 
mej'ly,  and  several  flocks  of  sheep  and  herds  of 
cattle  are  now  kept  in  the  county,  by  some  of  its 
enterprising  stock-men.  All  of  this  accom- 
plished in  about  six  years.  Schuyler  is  the  second 
town  west  of  Omaha  that  has  a  bridge  across  the 
Platte,  Fremont  being  the  first.  These  bridges 
are  very  advantageous  to  the  trade  of  the  towns 
in  this  valley. 

Kicltland. — A  small  station  83.7  miles  from 
Omaha,  with  an  elevation  of  1,440  feet.  Up  to 
a  late  period  the  land  surrounding  this  station 
has  been  mostly  held  by  speculators,  but  a  change 


26 


having  been  effected,  the  town  has  brighter  pros- 
pects. Lots  are  freely  given  away  to  parties  who 
will  build  on  them.  The  location  is  a  very  fine 
one  for  a  town,  and  it  is  surrounded  by  an  ex- 
cellent country.  It  is  the  last  town  west  in 
Colfax  County. 

Columbus — is  91.7  miles  from  Omaha.  It  is 
1,432  feet  above  the  sea.  A  beautiful  growing 
town,  with  a  rich  agricultural  country  to  back  it. 
It  has  several  churches,  school  buildings,  brick 
court-house,  two  grain  elevators  doing  a  large 
business.  Good  hotels  and  other  building  enter- 
prises contemplated.  It  is  located  at  the  junc- 
tion of  the  Loup  Fork,  with  the  Platte  Rivers, 
and  near  where  the  old  overland  emigrant  road 
crossed  the  first-named  stream.  It  now  has  a 
population  of  about  1,500  people,  and  supports 
three  newspapers — the  Republican,  which,  though 
the  youngest,  has  the  most  patronage,  and  the 
largest  circulation  ;  the  Journal,  which  was  first 
established,  and  the  Era.  Columbus  has  had  two 
lives  thus  far.  The  first  town-site  was  jumped 
by  a  party  of  Germans  from  Columbus,  O., 
from  which  it  takes  its  name.  Afterwards  the 
two  interests  were  consolidated.  It  was  the 
principal  town  west  of  Omaha  until  the  railroad 
came.  The  old  town,  near  the  ferry  crossing, 
was  then  moved  to  its  present  site  near  the  sta- 
tion. The  old  town  had  two  or  three  small 
stores,  a  blacksmith's  shop  and  saloons  ad  libi/um. 
It  was  mostly  kept  alive  by  the  westward  emi- 
gration. At  that  time  the  Platte  Valley  was 
well  supplied  with  ranches  and  ranchmen,  only 
other  names  for  whisky-shops  and  bar-tenders. 
During  the  week  those  concerns  would  pick  up 
what  they  could  from  wagon-trains,  and  Sundays 
the  ranchmen  would  crowd  into  Columbus  to 
spend  it — the  sharpers  improving  the  opportunity 
to  fleece  the  victims  of  their  seductive  wiles. 
At  this  time  no  attention  whatever  was  paid  to 
agricultural  pursuits.  On  the  advent  of  the , 
railroad  in  1866.  the  wood-choppers,  the  freight- 
ers, the  ranchmen  and  others,  lured  by  the 
charms  of  a  frontier  life,  jumped  the  town  and 
country.  They  could  not  endure  the  proximity 
to,  and  restraints  of  civilization.  Then  the 
second  or  new  life  of  the  town  began.  Farmers 
began  to  come  in,  and  it  was  found  by  actual  ex- 
periment that  the  soil  was  immensely  prolific; 
that  it  had  only  to  be  tickled  with  the  plow  in 
order  to  laugh  with  the  golden  harvests.  In  the 
lapse  of  the  few  brief  years  of  its  second  or 
permanent  growth,  it  has  become  a  great  grain 
market,  and  probably  ships  more  car-loads  each 
year  than  any  other  town  on  the  line  of  the  road. 
Men  draw  grain  from  seventy  to  eighty  miles  to 
this  place  for  a  market.  It  has  access  to  the 
country  south  of  the  Loup  and  Platte  Rivers,  by 
means  of  good,  substantial  bridges ;  while  the 
country  north  of  it  is  as  fine  rolling  prairie  as 
can  be  found  in  any  part  of  the  West — well 
watered  and  adapted  to  either  grazing  or  the 


growing  of  crops.  The  men  who  first  came  to 
olumbus  were  nearly  all  poor,  and  it  has  been 
built  up  and  improved  by  the  capital  they  have 
acquired  through  their  own  industrious  toil. 
The  town  has  a  good  bank,  without  a  dollar  of 
foreign  capital.  It  will  soon  have  other  rail- 
roads ;  one  from  Sioux  City,  and  another  to 
Crete  and  St.  Joe,  is  projected ;  while  in  its 
immediate  vicinity  are  large  quantities  of  good 
lands  which  are  held  at  low  prices.  These  are 
only  a  few  of  the  many  advantages  which  Colum- 
bus offers  to  those  in  search  of  future  homes. 

Hoiv  Buffalo  Robes  are  Ma<1c. — George 
Clother  is  one  of  the  proprietors  of  the  Clother 
House  at  Columbus,  Neb.  It  is  one  of  the  best 
home-like  hostelries  in  the  West.  Mr.  Clother 
is  an  old  resident,  having  been  in  Columbus  six- 
teen years.  When  he  first  came,  the  country  was 
more  or  less  overrun  with  wandering  tribes  of 
Indians,  among  whom  were  the  Pawnees,  the 
Omahas,  the  Sioux,  and  occasionally  a  stray  band 
from  some  other  tribe.  In  those  days  he  was 
accustomed  to  traffic  in  furs  and  robes,  and  the 
business  has  grown  with  his  increasing  acquaint- 
ance, until  it  is  now  both  large  and  profitable, 
though  with  the  disappearance  of  both  Indians 
and  buffaloes,  it  is  liable  to  decrease  in  the  future. 
General  Sheridan,  we  think  it  was,  said  that  the 
vexed  Indian  question  would  be  settled  with  the 
fate  of  the  buffaloes — that  both  would  disappear 
together.  During  the  past  few  years,  the  slaugh- 
ter of  these  proud  monarchs  of  the  plains,  has 
been  immense,  and  will  continue,  unless  Congress 
interposes  a  friendly  and  saving  hand.  It  is  safe 
to  say,  that  millions  of  them  have  been  killed 
for  their  hides  alone,  or  "just  for  fun,"  which  in 
this  case  amounts  to  the  same  thing,  as  their 
hides  have  been  repeatedly  sold  for  less  than  a 
dollar,  and  regularly  not  more  than  $1.50.  This 
slaughtering  has  taken  place  principally  in  the 
Platte,  Republican,  Solomon,  and  Arkansas  Val- 
leys, and  where  a  few  years  since,  travelers  could 
see  countless  thousands  of  them  from  the  car 
windows  and  platforms,  on  either  the  Union 
Pacific,  Kansas  Pacific  or  Atchison,  Topeka  & 
Santa  Fe  Railroads,  they  now,  probably  will  see 
but  few,  if  any.  Their  hides  have  been  shipped 
East,  where  they  make  a  poor  quality  of  leather. 
Those  only  which  are  taken  late  in  the  fall  and 
during  the  winter  months  of  January  and  Febru- 
ary, are  fit  for  robes.  The  hair,  at  this  season  of 
the  year,  is  thick  and  firmly  set. 

About  the  time  this- killing  process  began  in 
1870,  Mr.  Clother  entered  upon  the  work  of  tan- 
ning robes,  employing  for  this  purpose  the  squaws 
of  the  Pawnee  and  Omaha  tribes.  The  Pawnee 
reservation  was  only  a  short  distance  from  Co- 
lumbus, and  the  "'Bucks"  were  glad  of  the 
opportunity  of  employment  for  their  squaws. 
Labor  is  beneath  their  dignity,  and  they  depise  it. 
Besides  this,  tanning  robes  is  hard  and  slow  work, 
and,  in  their  opinion,  just  fit  for  squaws. 


For  a 


27 


few  years  the  squaws  of  both  of  the  tribes  named, 
have  been  engaged  by  Mr.  Clother,  but  the  de- 
parture of  the  Pawnees  to  their  reservation  in 
the  Indian  Territory,  precluded  the  possibility  of 
their  employment,  and  hence  in  the  winter  of 
1876,  the  Omahas  seem  to  have  a  monopoly  of  the 
work,  though  there  is  not  as  much  to  do  as  for- 
merly. AVe  visited  their  camp  to  inspect  the  proc- 
ess of  making  robes.  It  was  located  in  a  body 
of  heavy  timber,  with  a  thick  growth  of  under- 
brush, on  the  narrow  point  of  land  where  the 
Loup  Fork  and  Platte  Rivers  form  their  junction. 
The  low  bushes  made  a  perfect  wind-break,  and 
in  the  midst  of  the  tall  trees  their  Sibley  tents 
were  pitched.  The  barking  of  numerous  dogs 
greeted  our  approach,  and  after  making  a  few 
inquiries  of  one  or  two  who  could  talk  broken 


English,  we  crawled  into  the  tent  occupied  by 
the  "  Bucks,"  whom  we  found  intensely  interested 
in  gambling — playing  a  game  with  cards  called 
"21."  In  this  tent  were  nine  "Bucks  "  and  one 
squaw;  three  sat  stolidly  by — disinterested  wit- 
nesses of  the  game ;  the  squaw  was  engaged  at 
some  very  plain  needle-work,  and  occasionally 
poked  the  partly  burned  brands  into  the  fire, 
which  was  in  the  center  of  the  tent,  and  over 
which  hung  a  kettle  of  boiling  meat;  the  re- 
maining six,  sitting  upon  a  blanket  a  la  Turk, 
were  shuffling  and  dealing  the  cards.  Of  course 
they  play  for  money,  and  before  them  were  sev- 
eral quarters  in  currency,  and  several  silver  quar- 
ters, with  some  small  sticks,  which  were  xised  as 
money,  and  which  enabled  them  to  keep  an  ac- 
count with  each  other,  of  the  gains  and  losses. 
During  this  game  they  passed  around,  several 
times,  a  hollow-handled  tomahawk,  which  was 
used  as  a  pipe.  One  would  take  three  or  four 
whiffs,  then  pass  it  to  the  next,  and  so  on,  until 
it  had  been  passed  around  several  times.  One  of 
these  "  Bucks "  was  called  "  Spafford."  He 
could  talk  English  quite  well.  After  a  while  we 
asked  "  Spafford  "  to  show  us  some  robes,  but  he 


28 


pointed  in  the  direction  of  his  tent,  and  indicated 
where  they  could  be  found.  He  said  he  could 
not  leave  the  gama  just  then.  We  went  to  his 
tent  where  we  found  his  mother,  who  showed  us 
two  robes,  one  of  which  was  hers — a  smaller  one 
which  she  held  at  six  dollars.  Spafford  had  pre- 
viously told  us  that  $12.00  was  the  price  of  his 
robe.  We  then  began  to  look  for  other  robes, 
and  saw  them  in  various  stages  of  completion. 
The  process  of  tanning  is  simple,  and  yet,  Indian 
tanned  robes  far  excel  those  tanned  by  white 
men,  in  finish  and  value.  When  the  hides  are 
first  taken  from  the  animals,  they  must  be 
stretched  and  dried,  flesh  side  up ;  if  they  are 
not  in  this  condition  when  the  squaws  receive 
them,  they  must  do  it.  After  they  are  thor- 
oughly dried,  the  squaws  then  take  all  the  flesh 
off,  and  reduce  them  to  an  even  thickness,  with 
an  instrument,  which,  for  want  of  a  better  name, 
may  be  termed  an  adze ;  it  is  a  little  thin  piece 
of  iron,  about  two  inches  long  on  the  edge,  and 
two  and  a  half  inches  deep.  This  is  firmly  tied 
to  a  piece  of  the  thigh  bone  of  an  elk,  and  is 
used  the  same  as  a  small  garden  hoe,  by  eastern 
farmers  in  cutting  up  weeds.  When  the  requi- 
site thickness  is  obtained,  the  flesh  side  is  cov- 
ered with  a  preparation  of  lard,  soap  and  salt,  and 
the  robe  is  then  rolled  up  and  laid  by  for  two 
or  three  days.  It  is  then  unrolled  and  again 
stretched  on  a  frame,  like  a  quilt,  with  flesh  side 
to  the  sun ;  in  this  shape  it  is  scraped  with  a 
thin,  oval-shaped  piece  of  iron  or  steel,  resem- 
bling a  kitchen  chopping-knife  without  the  han- 
dle; this  process  usually  lasts  about  two  days. 
The  robe  is  then  taken  from  the  frame,  and 
drawn  across  a  rops  stretched  between  two  trees, 
with  the  flesh  side  to  the  rope,  until  it  becomes 
thoroughly  dry  and  soft.  This  last  process 
makes  it  very  pliable,  requires  a  good  deal  of 
time  and  strength,  and  renders  the  robe  ready 
for  market.  Before  the  Indians  came  in  con- 
tact with  civilization,  they  used  sharpened  pieces 
of  bone,  instead  of  the  pieces  of  iron  we  have 
named,  and  in  place  of  tha  preparation  of  lard, 
soap  and  salt,  they  used  buffalo  brains,  which  are 
considered  alto^eth  ?r  preferable  to  this  mixture ; 
the  brains  of  cattle  are  also  used  when  they  can 
be  obtained ;  but  the  robes  are  taken  out  on  the 
plains,  or  iu  the  Platte  and  Republican  Valleys, 
and  brought  here  by  wagon  or  rail,  and  of  course 
the  brains  cannot  very  well  be  brought  with 
them.  The  squaws  laughed  when  we  pulled  out 
our  note-book  and  began  to  write,  being  evidently 
as  much  astonished  and  interested  as  we;  they 
looked  with  wonder  at  the  book,  pencil,  and  the 
words  we  wrote.  While  the  lazy  "  Bucks,"  sit  in 
their  tents  and  gamble,  the  squaws  are  laboring 
hard  to  secure  means  for  their  support.  An 
Indian  is  constitutionally  opposed  to  labor.  He 
is  evidently  tired  all  the  time. 

Jackson — So   called   from   a  former    road- 
master  of  the  Union  Pacific — is  99.3  miles  from 


Omaha,  with  an  elevation  of  1,470  feet.  The 
Loup  Valley  is  just  over  the  hills  to  your  right, 
and  the  magnificent  Platte  bottom  lands  are  still 
stretching  out  before  you.  It  has  one  or  two 
stores  and  bears  a  thrifty  appearance;  at  one 
time  it  was  supposed  that  this  place  or  Columbus 
would  be  made  the  end  of  a  division,  but  nothing 
has  been  developed  on  this  subject  within  the 
past  few  years. 

Silver  Creek — 109.4  miles  from  Omaha,  and 
1,534  feet  above  the  sea.  It  is  the  first  station 
in  Merrick  County,  as  Jackson  was  the  last  in 
Platte  County.  North  of  this  station  is  the 
Pawnee  reservation,  one  of  the  finest  bodies  of 
land  yet  unoccupied  in  the  State.  This  once 
powerful  tribe,  between  whom  and  the  Sioux  a 
deadly  hostility  exists,  has  dwindled  down  to 
small  numbers,  and  during  1875,  they  abandoned 
their  reservation  entirely  and  went  to  the  Indian 
Territory.  An  attempt  was  made  a  short  time 
since  to  sell  a  part  of  this  reservation  at  an  ap- 
praised valuation,  but  it  was  not  successful,  and 
efforts  are  now  being  made  to  bring  it  into 
market  under  the  preemption  laws  of  the  govern- 
ment at  a  fixed  price,  ($2.50  per  acre)  the  pro- 
ceeds of  which  are  to  go  to  the  tribe  on  their 
new  reservation.  When  this  takes  place  Silver 
Creek  will  have  a  great  impetus  to  its  growth 
and  trade,  as  it  is  the  nearest  railroad  station  to 
this  reservation. 

Clark. — Named  after  S.  H.  H.  Clack,  gene- 
ral superintendent  of  the  Union  Pacific;  it  is 
sometimes  called  Clark's,  Clarksville  and  Clark's 
Station.  It  is  120.7  miles  from  the  eastern 
terminus  of  the  road,  with  an  elevation  of  1,610 
feet.  It  has  three  stores,  school-house,  church, 
shops  and  dwellings,  and  is  doing  a  fine  trade ; 
with  a  rich  country  around  it,  and  the  Pawnee 
reservation  soon  to  be  opened  on  the  north,  it  is 
destined  to  become  a  thrifty  town. 

Lone  Tree. — The  county-seat  of  Merrick 
County ;  has  two  or  three  churches,  several  stores, 
a  brick  court-house,  a  two-story  frame  school- 
house,  hotel  and  numerous  other  buildings.  The 
name  of  the  post-office  is  Central  City.  The  Ne- 
braska Central  Railroad  is  expected  to  form  a 
junction  with  the  Union  Pacific,  here.  Local 
dissensions  have  injured  the  town  in  the  past, 
and  must  operate  to  retard  its  growth  in  the 
future.  About  three  miles  west  of  this  place  a 
new  side  track  has  been  put  in.  It  is  yet  un- 
named, though  it  will  probably  be  called  Lone 
Tree,  and  it  is  expected  that  a  post-office  with 
the  same  name,  will  be  established.  Merrick 
County  has  two  flouring-mills,  both  of  which  are 
run  by  water,  taken  from  the  Platte  River.  The 
identical  "  lone  tree,"  from  which  the  place  was 
named,  has  long  since  disappeared,  but  numer- 
ous groves  of  cotton-wood  are  everywhere  visible. 
Elevation  1,686  feet ;  132  miles  from  Omaha. 

Chainnan. — 142.3  miles  from  Omaha,  and 
1,760  feet  above  the  sea.  It  is  named  after  a 


29 


former  road-master  of  the  Union  Pacific.  The 
town  has  two  stores,  school-house,  and  other 
buildings,  and  is  in  the  midst  of  a  fine,  thickly 
settled  country. 

Loclcwootl — is  147.8  miles  from  Omaha,  with 
an  elevation  of  1,800  feet.  It  is  a  side  track 
where  trains  meet  and  pass.  A  store  has  re- 
cently been  opened  where  a  lively  trade  is  done. 

Grand  Island. — The  end  of  the  first  divi- 
sion of  the  Union  Pacific  Railroad,  1<53.8  miles 
from  Omaha,  and  1,850  feet  above  the  sea.  The 
town  is  named  after  an  island  in  the  Platte  River, 
which  is  some  forty  miles  long,  and  from  one  to 
three  miles  in  width.  It  was  first  settled  by  a 
colony  of  Germans  from  Davenport,  la.,  in  1857. 
The  island  is  thickly  settled,  nearly  every  quar- 
ter section  being  occupied  by  a  thrifty  farmer. 
The  soil  is  wonderfully  prolific,  being  composed 
of  a  black  vegetable  mold,  and  is  especially 
adapted  to  corn  raising.  The  old  town  site  of 
Grand  Island  was  south  of  the  present  site,  on 
the  old  emigrant  road.  The  first  three  years  of 
this  town  were  very  severe  on  the  settlers.  They 
had  to  haul  all  their  supplies  from  Omaha,  and 
part  of  this  tim3  they  were  obliged  to  live  on 
short  rations.  They  immediately  bagan  the  cul- 
tivation of  the  soil,  but  at  first  had  no  market 
for  their  crops.  This  was  soon  remedied,  how- 
ever, by  the  opening  of  a  market  at  Fort  Kearny, 
some  forty  miles  west,  where  they  obtained  good 
prices  for  everything  they  could  raise.  In  a 
short  time,  the  rush  to  Pike's  Peak  began,  and 
as  this  was  the  last  place  on  the  route  where  emi- 
grants could  obtain  grain  and  other  supplies,  the 
town  grew,  and  many  who  are  now  in  good  cir- 
cumstances, then  laid  the  foundations  of  their 
prosperity.  In  this  vicinity  stray  buffaloes  first 
appeared  to  the  early  settlers  of  the  valley.  They 
never  came  in  large  herds,  but  when  hunted  by 
the  Indians  further  west  and  south  in  the  Repub- 
lican Valley  they  would  be  seen  wandering  near 
this  place.  While  the  war  was  in  progress,  the 
settlers  frequently  saw  war  parties  of  the  Sioux 
pass  to  and  from  the  Pawnee  camp  on  the  high 
bluffs  south  of  the  Platte  River,  and  opposite 
Fremont.  When  they  returned  from  their  at- 
tacks, they  would  exhibit  the  scalps  they  had 
taken,  and  manifest  great  glee  as  they  swung 
them  through  the  air,  dangling  from  their 
spears.  In  the  early  spring  of  1859.  the  stages 
from  Omaha  began  to  run.  At  'first  they  came 
once  a  week,  then  twice,  and  later,  daily.  Then 
the  telegraph  line  was  put  up.  Meanwhile  the 
trans-continental  railroad  was  agitated,  and  as  it 
became  more  and  more  talked  about,  the  settlers 
here  fondly  hoped  that  they  were  on  the  exact 
spot  where  the  three  converging  lines,  as  first 
proposed,  would  meet.  But  they  were  doomed 
to  disappointment.  The  Union  Pacific,  Eastern 
Division,  now  the  Kansas  Pacific,  grew  into  an 
independent  line,  while  the  Sioux  City  &  Pacific 
had  its  course  changed,  finally  uniting  with  the 


Union  Pacific  at  Fremont.  But  the  railroad 
came  at  last  in  1866.  The  heavy  bodies  of  tim- 
ber on  the  islands  in  the  river  and  between  the 
Platte  and  Wood  Rivers  were  nearly  all  taken  for 
cross-ties.  It  was  only  cotton-wood,  but  it  would 
hold  the  spikes  and  rails  for  a  few  years  until 
others  could  be  obtained.  Then  the  buildings 
on  the  old  town  site  were  moved  up  to  the  rail- 
road and  the  town  began  to  grow.  The  round- 
house for  the  steam-horses  was  built,  and  the 
town  was  made  the  end  of  a  division  of  the  road. 
An  eating-house  was  erected,  and  stores,  shops, 
and  dwellings  followed  in  quick  succession.  It 
is  the  county-seat  of  Hall  County,  and  the  first 
station  in  the  county  from  the  east.  It  has  a 
fine  large  brick  court-house,  three  church  edi- 
fices, school-house,  hotels,  bank,  and  one  of  the 
largest  steam  flouring-mills  in  the  State.  This 
is  one  of  the  regular  dining-stations  on  the  road. 
Last  year,  1875,  the  company  put  up  an  elegant 
hotel  for  the  accommodation  of  the  traveling 
public,  at  which  all  passenger  trains  stop  for 
meals.  It  is  exceedingly  well  kept,  and  under 
its  present  management  will  command  the  pat- 
ronage of  the  public.  Like  all  other  towns  of 
any  importance  in  this  valley,  Grand  Island 
hopes  and  expects  more  railroads.  A  road  to 
connect  with  the  St.  Joe  &  Denver,  and  the 
Burlington  &  Missouri  at  Hastings,  twenty-four 
miles  south,  is  nearly  all  graded,  and  will  proba- 
bly soon  be  finished.  A  line  is  also  projected  to 
the  north-west,  and  one  to  the  north-east  to  reach 
Sioux  City.  Its  present  population  is  about  1,200, 
and  its  prospects  for  the  future  are  flattering. 

The  country  in  this  immediate  vicinity  is  well 
settled  by  a  thrifty  class  of  German  farmers,  who 
have  dug  wealth  from  the  soil,  and  when  rations 
were  scarce  and  border  scares  frequent,  still  hung 
on  to  their  claims.  The  road  came  in  1866,  and 
gave  them  communication  with  the  outer  world. 
The  location  of  the  roundhouse  and  necessary 
repair  shops,  for  the  division,  is  a  great  help  to 
the  town,  as  they  give  employment  to  quite  a 
number  of  skilled  mechanics.  It  is  also  the  lo- 
cation of  the  government  land  office  for  the 
Grand  Island  land  district.  It  has  two  wtekly 
newspapers,  the  Times  and  Independent,  both  of 
which  are  well  conducted.  The  new  eating- 
house,  elsewhere  spoken  of,  is  the  finest  on  the 
road,  though  less  expensive  than  many.  It  cost 
about  $15,000.  This  is  a  breakfast  and  supper 
station,  and  the  company  has  furnished  ample 
accommodations  for  the  patrons  of  this  house. 

After  leaving  Grand  Island,  a  magnificent 
stretch  of  prairie  country  opens  to  view.  The 
same  may  be  said  of  the  entire  valley,  but  the 
view  in  other  places  is  more  limited  by  bluffs 
and  hills  than  here.  After  passing  Silver  Creek, 
there  is  a  section  of  the  road,  more  than  forty 
miles,  in  a  straight  line,  but  the  extent  of  prairie 
brought  into  vision  there  is  not  as  large  as  here. 
Up  to  this  point,  you  have  doubtless  witnessed 


EMINENT  AMERICAN  EXPLORERS  AND  ARTISTS. 

1.— Gen.  Custer.    2.— Gen.  Fremont.    3.— Lieut.  Wheeler.    4.— Prof.  F.  V.  Hayden.    5 Albert  Bierstadt 

6.— Maj.  J.  W.  Powell.    7.— Thomas  Moran. 


31 


many  groves  of  cotton-wood  around  the  numer- 
ous dwellings  you  have  passed,  but  they  begin  to 
diminish  now — nearly  the  last  of  them  being 
seen  at 

Altla, — the  next  station,  some  eight  miles 
west  of  Grand  Island,  161.5  miles  from  Omaha, 
at  an  elevation  of  1,907  feet.  There  are  one  or 
two  stores,  a  school-house,  and  several  dwellings. 
It  is  two  miles  east  of  Wood  River,  which  is 
spanned  by  the  first  iron  bridge  on  the  line.  All 
regular  passenger  trains  stop  at  this  station  and 
receive  and  deliver  mails.  In  other  parts  of  the 
country,  Wood  River  would  be  called  a  rivulet  or 
small  brook,  but  such  streams  are  frequently  dig- 
nified with  the  name  of  rivers  in  the  West.  It 
forms  a  junction  with  the  North  Channel  of  the 
Platte  River,  just  south  of  Grand  Island.  Its  rise 
is  in  the  bluffs  across  the  divide,  north  of  Plum 
Creek,  and  its  general  course  is  due  east.  The 
road  runs  along  its  southern  bank  for  several 
miles,  and  in  several  places  it  is  fringed  with 
timber.  When  the  road  was  first  built  through 
here,  it  was  well  timbered,  but  it  was  nearly  all 
taken  for  construction  purposes  and  fuel.  In 
early  days,  say  in  1859-60,  this  valley  was  the 
frontier  settlement  of  the  West,  and  a  few  of 
the  old  pioneer  log  houses  are  still  standing, 
though  very  much  dilapidated.  The  settlers  had 
a  few  "  Indian  scares,"  and  lost  some  stock,  but 
beyond  this,  no  great  depredation  was  done.  Fort 
Kearny  was  their  first  market-place  to  which 
they  hauled  their  surplus  grain  and  provisions. 
Though  Wood  River  is  so  small,  it  nevertheless 
supplies  three  flouriug-mills  with  power  for 
grinding,  and  there  are  several  mill  sites  unoc- 
cupied. The  first  mill  is  near  the  iron  bridge 
already  spoken  of,  and  the  others  will  be  noticed 
further  on. 

Wood  River — is  the  name  of  the  next  sta- 
tion. It  has  two  or  three  stores,  several  dwellings, 
and  a  new  depot  building.  It  is  109.6  miles  from 
Omaha,  and  1,974  feet  above  the  sea.  The  old 
station  was  two  miles  further  west,  and  the  Cath- 
olic church  still  remains  to  mark  the  place  where 
it  stood.  The  country  around  here  was  first 
settled  by  some  Irish  families;  they  are  indus- 
trious and  worthy  citizens,  and  have  developed 
some  fine  farms.  Prairie,  or  blue  joint-grass  has 
been  principally  seen  thus  far,  but  now  you  will 
observe  patches  of  buffalo  grass  which  increase 
as  you  go  west,  and  of  which  we  shall  speak 
hereafter.  This  is  the  last  station  in  Hall 
County. 

Shetton — comes  next — a  side  track,  depot,  a 
few  dwellings,  and  another  of  those  flouring- 
mills  spoken  of.  In  January,  1876,  the  water  in 
Wood  River  was  sufficient  to  keep  three  run  of 
burrs  going  in  this  mill  for  about  twenty  out  of 
every  twenty-four  hours.  The  flour  made  at 
nearly  all  the  mills  on  the  Union  Pacific  finds  a 
ready  market  in  the  mountain  towns  west,  to 
which  it  is  usually  shipped.  Shelton  was  named 


after  the  present  cashier  of  the  Union  Pacific 
road  at  Omaha.  It  has  an  elevation  of  2,010 
feet,  and  is  177.4  miles  from  the  eastern  terminus 
of  the  road. 

Successful  Farming.  —  The  little  farms 
which  now  fill  up  the  Platte  Valley  as  far  as 
North  Platte  are  occupied  by  people  who  came 
from  the  older  States,  with  very  little  cash  capi- 
tal, and  by  homesteading  or  warrant  or  purchase 
from  the  railroad  on  time,  they  have  made  many 
a  snug  home.  To  show  what  has  been  done  by 
real  industry,  we  quote  from  actual  records  the 
figures  of  the  success  of  a  farmer  in  Platte  County. 
Beginning  with  the  year  1867,  and  up  to  the  year 
1874,  seven  years,  he  cultivated  in  wheat  and 
corn,  an  average  of  sixty  to  eighty  acres  wheat, 
and  fifty  acres  corn;  total  130  acres.  His  re- 
ceipts from  these  two  crops  only,  in  seven  years, 
was  $13,314.05;  expenses,  $4,959.92;  profits, 
$8,354.13,  besides  increase  of  value  of  land,  which 
is  fully  $2,000  more.  This  is  what  was  done 
with  a  capital  of  less  than  $2,000. 

Tree  Planting  in  Nebraska. — The  Ne- 
braskans  celebrate  a  special  day  in  the  spring 
months  as  a  holiday,  in  which  the  entire  popula- 
tion join  hands  in  a  hearty  exercise  at  tree  plant- 
ing; this  is  called  Arbor  D<nj.  Travelers  will 
notice  from  the  car  windows  on  their  first  day's 
ride  westward  from  Omaha,  quite  a  number  of 
pretty  groves  of  trees,  planted  both  as  wind- 
breaks for  their  farms,  and  also  for  timber  plant- 
ations. The  tree  most  popular  is  the  cotton- 
wood,  which  grows  very  easily,  sure  to  start,  and  is 
quite  luxuriant  in  foliage  ;  however  it  is  valuable 
for  shelter  and  stove-wood  only,  not  for  manu- 
factures. As  an  instance  of  rapidity  of  growth, 
there  are  trees  in  the  Platte  Valley,  which  planted 
as  cuttings,  have  in  thirteen  years  measured  22 
inches  in  diameter.  Little  boys  are  tempted  by 
large  premiums  from  their  parents  to  test  their 
capacity  at  tree  planting  on  Arbor  Day,  and  as- 
tonishing rapidity  has  occasionally  been  known, 
one  farmer  in  one  day  having  planted  from  sun- 
rise to  sundown,  14,000  trees,  and  in  the  course 
of  one  spring  season,  over  200,000.  Settlers,  as 
fast  as  they  arrive,  aim  to  accomplish  two  things. 
First,  to  break  the  sod  for  a  corn  field ;  next,  to 
plant  timber  shelter.  The  winds  which  blow 
from  the  west  are  very  constant,  often  fierce,  and 
a  shelter  is  of  immense  value  to  stock  and  fruit 
trees.  Hedges  of  white  willow,  several  miles  in 
length,  have  been  laid,  which  at  five  years  from 
cuttings,  have  made  a  perfect  fence  15  feet  high  ; 
one  farm  alone  has  four  miles  of  such  continu- 
ous fence,  which  at  four  years  of  age  was  a  com- 
plete protection.  The  rapidity  of  growth  in  the 
rich  alluvial  soil  of  the  Platte  Valley  reminds 
one  of  tropical  luxuriance.  A  grove  of  white 
ash,  in  twelve  years,  has  grown  to  an  average  of 
26  inches  in  circumference,  and  30  feet  high 
Walnut  trees,  in  eight  years,  have  measured  22 
inches  in  circumference,  and  25  feet  high.  Ma 


32 


pie  trees,  of  twelve  years,  measure  43  inches 
around  four  feet  from  the  ground.  Elms  of  four- 
teen years,  show  36  inches  in  girth,  and  a  foot  in 
diameter.  Honey  Locusts,  eleven  years  of  age,  are 
30  feet  high,  and  30  inches  around.  Cotton- 
wood  trees,  of  thirteen  years,  have  reached  66 
inches  in  circumference,  and  22  inches  in  diame- 
ter. White  willow,  same  age,  45  inches  in  cir- 
cumference. 

Gibbon, — the  last  station  on  Wood  River,  is 
182.9  miles  from  the  Missouri  by  rail,  and  has  an 
elevation   of   2,046   feet.     It   was   formerly   the 
county-seat  of  Buffalo  County,  and  had  a  fine 
brick  court-house  erected.     But  the  county-seat 
was  voted  to  Kearny  Junction  in  1874,  and  the 
building  is  now  used  for  school  purposes.     It  has 
a  hotel,  several  stores,  and  another  of  those  flour- 
ing-mills,  in  plain  sight  from  the  track.      The 
Platte  River  is  some  three  miles  distant,  to  the 
south,  and  glistens  in  the  sunlight  like  a  streak 
of  silver;   the  level  prairie  between  is  studded 
with  farm-houses,  and   in  the  late   summer  or 
early  autumn  numerous  stacks  of  grain  and  hay 
are    everywhere    visible    around    the     farmers' 
homes.     The   bluffs,   south  of   the    Platte,   rear 
their  low  heads  in  the  distance,  and  your  vision 
is  lost  on  prairie,  prairie,  prairie,  as  you    look 
to  the  north.     Beautiful  as  these  prairies  are  in 
the  spring  and  early  summer,  their  blackened 
surface  in  the  fall,  if  burned,  or  their  dull  drab 
color,  if  unburned,  is  monotonous  and  wearying. 
Shelby— has   an   elevation   of  2,106  feet,   is 
191.3  miles  from  Omaha.     The  town  is  named 
Kearny,    and    takes    its    name    from    General 
Kearny,    who   was    an    officer    in    the    regular 
army    during    the     Mexican    war.      Old    Fort 
Kearny   was   located    near  this   station,   south 
of    the    Platte   River,   and   the   military  reser- 
vation    of     government     land     still     remains, 
though     it     will    probably    soon     be    brought 
into  market.     The  rights,  if  they  have  any,  of 
"squatter  sovereigns"  will   here   be  tested,   as 
nearly  every  quarter  section  in  the  whole  reserve 
is  occupied  by  them,  some  of  whom  have  made 
valuable  improvements  in  the  shape  of  buildings, 
etc.     It  was  formerly  a  great  shipping  point  for 
cattle,  but  the  advancing  tide  of  settlements  has 
driven  stock-men,  like  the  Indians,  still  further 
west.     Occasionally,  however,  Texas   herds  are 
grazed  near  here,  and  the  herders  sometimes  visit 
Kearny  Junction,  a  few  miles  west,  and  attempt 
to  run  the  town;   they  murdered  a  man  there 
in  1875,  in  cold  blood — shot  him   dead  on  the 
threshold  of  his  own  door — and  this  so  incensed 
the  inhabitants  in  the  vicinity  that  they  will  not, 
probably,  allow  them  to  visit  the  town  in  future. 
The  murderer  was  arrested,  has  been  convicted, 
and  time  will  tell  whether  he  will  be  hung  or  not. 
Texas  herders,  as  a  class,  are  rough  fellows,  with 
long  hair  and   beard,   wide-rimmed    hats,  best 
fitting  boots  they  can  get,  large  spurs  jingling 
at  their  heels,  a  small  arsenal,  in  the  shape  of 


Colt's  revolvers,  strapped  to  their  waists  with 
a  careless  negligee  appearance.  Their  chief  pleas- 
ure is  in  a  row ;  their  chief  drink  is  "  whisky 
straight,"  and  they  usually  seem  to  feel  better 
when  they  have  killed  somebody.  Houses  of 
prostitution  and  tippling  saloons  follow  close  in 
their  wake.  They  are  generous  to  their  friends, 
dividing  even  the  last  dollar  with  a  comrade  who 
is  "  broke ;  "  cowardly,  treacherous  and  revenge- 
ful to  their  enemies.  Human  life  is  of  but  little 
account  with  them.  Their  life  is  one  of  constant 
exposure,  and  very  laborious.  They  are  perfect 
horsemen — usually  in  the  saddle  sixteen  out  of 
every  twenty-four  hours — and  their  great  ambi- 
tion seems  to  be  to  become  "a  devil  of  a  fellow," 
generally.  Nor  does  it  require  much  care  or  effort 
on  their  part,  to  fill  the  bill.  Thousands  of  them 
on  the  plains  in  their  native  State,  in  Kansas, 
Colorado,  Wyoming,  and  Nebraska  "  have  died 
with  their  boots  on,"  and  we  suppose  thousands 
more  will  perish  the  same  way.  Living  violent 
lives,  of  course  they  meet  with  violent  deaths. 
They  are  a  peculiar  race,  answering,  perhaps,  a 
peculiar  purpose.  The  community  in  which 
they  live,  and  the  country  generally,  will  be  bet- 
ter off  when  they  have  passed  away,  for  almost 
ninety-nine  out  of  every  hundred  goes 

"  Down  to  the  vile  dust  from  whence  he  sprung, 
Unwept,  unhouored  and  unsung." 

Kearny  has  now  nothing  but  a  side  track, 
depot  and  water-tank,  with  a  section-house  and 
the  remains  of  an  old  corral  from  which  cattle 
used  to  be  shipped.  The  reservation  included 
not  only  land  on  both  sides  of  the  river,  but  a 
large  island  which  extends  east  and  west  quite  a 
number  of  miles.  The  fort  was  south  of  the 
river,  and  scarcely  a  vestige  now  remains  to 
mark  the  spot  where  the  buildings  formerly 
stood.  This  fort  was  built  in  1858,  by  Colonel 
Charles  May,  of  Mexican  war  fame.  Three 
miles  west  of  the  old  fort  was  Kearny  City, 
which  was  a  considerable  town  in  the  old  over- 
land times,  but  it  disappeared  with  the  advent  of 
the  railroad.  The  southern  part  of  the  reserva- 
tion is  covered  with  sand-hills,  and  useless,  ex- 
cept for  grazing.  Notice  how  the  buffalo  grass 
appears  and  how  its  extent  is  increased  as  you  go 
further  west.  The  new  houses  around  the  sta- 
tion, especially  those  of  the  squatters  on  the  reser- 
vation, are  increasing,  which  indicates  that  the 
country  is  fast  settling  up. 

Kearny  Junction. — A  lively,  enterprising 
town,  195.3  miles  from  Omaha,  with  an  elevation 
of  2,150  feet.  It  is  the  junction  of  the  Burling- 
ton and  Missouri  Railroad  only,  and  owes  its 
rapid  development  to  this  fact  more  than  to  any- 
thing else.  Formerly  the  St.  Joe  and  Denver 
Railroad  ran  trains  to  this  place,  using  the  track 
of  the  Burlington  and  Missouri  from  Hastings, 
a  smart  little  town  twenty-four  miles  south  of 
Grand  Island.  But  this  has  been  abandoned  and 
it  is  supposed  the  road  will  build  an  independent 


33 


line  to  some  point  on  the  Union  Pacific  during 
the  year  1876.  Grand  Island  and  Kearny  Junc- 
tion both  hope  to  get  it.  Kearny  Junction  was 
laid  out  by  the  town  company  in  September, 
1872,  about  the  same  time  the  Burlington  and 
Missouri  Railroad  arrived;  the  first  house  was 
built  in  August,  1872,  and  the  town  has  grown 
very  rapidly  ever  since;  it  now  has  a  population 
of  1,000  souls,  four  church  edifices,  two  daily 
newspapers,  the  Times  and  the  J^re.tx,  two  brick 
bank  buildings  and  other  brick  blocks,  with 
hotels,  numerous  stores,  school-house,  court-house, 
etc.  It  has  a  daily  stage  line  to  Bloomington,  a 
thriving  town  some  sixty  miles  south  in  the  Re- 
publican Valley,  and  quite  an  extensive  trade 
from  it  and  the  South  Loup  Valley  on  the  north ; 
some  of  the  stores  here  do  quite  a  wholesale 
trade.  The  town  is  finely  located  on  a  gradual 
slope,  and  from  the  hills  or  bluffs  on  its  north 
side  the  land  in  seven  counties  can  be  distinctly 
seen ;  it  has  the  vim  and  energy  which  usually 
characterizes  Western  towns;  it  is  an  aspirant 
for  the  capital  if  it  is  ever  moved  from  Lincoln, 
and  has  ground  on  the  hill  reserved  for  the  loca- 
tion of  the  State  buildings ;  it  also  expects  a 
railroad  from  Sioux  City,  and  one  from  the  Re- 
publican Valley;  altogether  its  future  prospects 
are  bright.  Splendid  crops  of  wheat,  corn,  oats, 
barley,  broom-corn,  potatoes,  cabbages,  and 
onions  are  raised  in  this  vicinity  during  favorable 
seasons,  but  \ve  regard  the  stock  business  as  the 
bast  paying  and  surest  investment  for  settlers ; 
the  buffalo  grass,  to  our  mind,  is  a  sure  indica- 
tion of  it.  Kearny  Junction  is  very  healthy, 
and  invalids  would  here  find  an  agreeable  resting- 
place. 

Stevenson — has  an  elevation  of  2,170  feet, 
and  is  201.2  miles  from  the  Alissouri  River.  It 
is  simply  a  side  track  with  a  section-house  near 
by.  The  way  settlers  have  pushed  up  this  valley 
during  the  last  five  years,  is  marvelous. 

I^lni  Creek — is  211.5  miles  from  Omaha, 
•with  an  elevation  of  2.241  feet.  In  the  first  200 
miles  of  your  journey,  you  have  attained  an  alti- 
tude more  than  a  thousand  feet  above  Omaha, 
where  you  started,  and  yet  the  ascent  has  been  so 
gradual  that  you  have  scarcely  noticed  it.  Elm 
Creek  was  so  named  after  the  creek  which  you 
cross  just  after  leaving  the  station  going  west. 
It  was  formerly  heavily  timbered  with  elm,  ash, 
hackberry  and  a  few  walnuts  and  cotton-woods ; 
but  the  necessities  of  the  road  when  it  was  built 
required  it  all  and  more  too.  The  town  has  one 
or  two  saloons,  stores,  school-house  and  a  few 
dwellings.  The  creek  rises  in  the  bluffs  north- 
west, and  sluggishly  worries  through  them  and 
the  sand,  till  it  is  fina'.ly  swallowed  up  by  the 
Platte.  But  little  timber  remains  in  this  vicinity. 
The  next  station,  some  nine  miles  west  of  Elm 
Creek,  called 

Overton — has  the  usual  side  track,  school- 
house,  a  store  and  some  few  dwellings.  This 


valley,  to  this  point  and  beyond,  would  have  been 
thickly  settled  long  before  this  but  for  climatic 
reasons  which  we  need  not  name.  Uhe  Platte 
Valley  extends  on  either  side  here  nearly  as  far 
as  the  eye  can  reach.  The  town  is  220.5  miles 
from  Omaha,  at  an  elevation  of  2,305  feet. 

Josselyn, — A  side  track  ;  will  eventually  be- 
come a  station ;  named  alter  the  pay-master  of 
the  Union  Pacific  Road.  It  is  225.1  miles  from 
Omaha,  with  an  elevation  of  about  2,330  feet 
above  the  sea. 

Plum  Creek. — So  named  from  a  creek  on 
the  south  side  of  the  river,  which  flows  into  the 
Platte  nearly  opposite  the  town.  The  stage- 
station,  on  the  old  overland  road  was  located 
on  this  creek  and  in  those  days  it  was  considered 
quite  an  important  point  It  was  the  scene  of  a 
number  of  conflicts  with  the  savages — in  fact  one 
of  their  favorite  points  of  attack ;  eleven  white 
persons  were  killed  and  several  wounded  during 
one  of  these  attacks.  Four  miles  west  of  the 
present  town-site  they  captured  and  burned  a 
train  of  cars  in  1867;  one  of  the  train  men  was 
scalped  and  recently  was  still  living  in  or  near 
Omaha ;  one  was  killed,  and  the  others,  we  be- 
lieve, made  their  escape.  The  nature  of  the 
bluffs  here  is  such  that  they  had  a  good  oppor- 
tunity to  attack  and  escape  before  the  settlers 
and  emigrants  could  rally  and  give  them  battle. 
The  creek  rises  in  a  very  bluffy  region,  and  runs 
north-east  into  the  Platte.  Plum  Creek  is 
the  county-seat  of  Dawson  County ;  has  about 
500  inhabitants  ;  a  fine  brick  courthouse  with 
jail  underneath,  one  church  edifice,  school-house, 
two  or  three  hotels,  stores,  warehouses,  etc.  It  is 
a  point  where  considerable  broom-corn  is  pur- 
chased and  shipped  ;  has  a  semi-weekly  stage  line 
across  the  Republican  Valley  to  Norton,  in  the 
State  of  Kansas,  and  a  weekly  newspaper.  There 
is  a  substantial  wagon  bridge  across  the  Platte 
River,  nearly  three-quarters  of  a  mile  in  length. 
It  is  located  in  the  midst  of  a  very  fine  grazing 
country,  though  in  favorable  seasons  crops  have 
done  well.  With  irrigation,  perhaps  they  might 
be  made  a  certainty.  This  town  also  enjoys 
quite  a  trade  with  the  upper  Republican  Valley. 
It  was  formerly  a  favorite  range  for  buffaloes, 
and  large  quantities  of  their  bleaching  bones 
have  been  gathered  and  shipped  by  rail  to  St. 
Louis  and  places  east.  It  is  231.4  miles  from 
Omaha,  with  an  elevation  of  2,370  feet. 

Battle  with  the  Indians  at  Pliim 
Creek. — While  the  railroad  was  being  built, 
the  engineers,  graders  and  track-layers  were  fre- 
quently driven  from  their  work  by  the  Indians. 
Not  only  then,  but  after  the  track  was  laid  and 
trains  running,  it  was  some  times  torn  up  and 
trains  ditched,  causing  loss  of  lives  and  destruc- 
tion of  property.  One  of  these  attacks  took 
place  near  Plum  Creek,  as  we  will  now  relate. 
In  July,  1867,  a  train  was  ditched  about  four 
miles  west  of  the  above-named  station.  It 


34 


was  by  a  band  of  southern  Cheyennes,  under  a 
chief  called  Turkey  Leg,  who  now  draws  his 
rations  regularly  from  Uncle  Sam,  at  the  Red 
Cloud  agency.  He  is  a  vicious  looking  fellow, 
his  appearance  naturally  suggesting  him  as  a  fit 
subject  for  a  hanging  bee.  At  a  small  bridge, 
or  culvert,  over  a  dry  ravine,  they  had  lifted  the 
iron  rails  from  their  chairs  on  the  ties — raising 
only  ons  end  of  each  rail — about  three  feet,  pil- 
ing up  ties  under  them  for  support,  and  firmly 
lashing  the  rails  and  ties  together  by  wire  cut 
from  the  adjoining  telegraph  line.  They  were 
pretty  cunning  in  this  arrangement  of  the  rails, 
and  evidently  placed  them  where  they  thought 
they  would  penetrate  the  cylinder  on  each  side 
of  the  engine.  But  not  having  a  mechanical 
turn  of  mind  exactly,  and  disregarding  the  slight 
curve  in  the  road  at  this  point,  they  missed  their 
calculations,  as  the  sequel  shows,  as  one  of  the 
rails  did  no  execution  whatever,  and  the  other 
went  straight  into  and  through  the  boiler.  After 
they  had  fixed  the  rails  in  the  manner  described, 
they  retired  to  where  the  bench  or  second  bottom 
slopes  down  to  the  first,  and  there  concealed 
themselves  in  the  tall  grass,  waiting  for  the  train. 
Before  it  left  Plum  Creek,  a  hand-car  with  three 
section  men  was  sent  ahead  as  a  pilot.  This  car 
encountered  the  obstacle,  and  ran  into  the  ravine, 
bruising  and  stunning  the  men  and  frightening 
them  so  that  they  were  unable  to  signal  to  the 
approaching  train.  As  soon  as  the  car  landed  at 
the  bottom  of  the  ravine,  the  Indians  rushed  up, 
when  two  of  the  men,  least  hurt,  ran  away  in  the 
darkness  of  the  night — it  was  little  past  mid- 
night— and  hid  in  the  tall  grass  near  by.  The 
other,  more  stunned  by  the  fall  of  the  car,  was 
scalped  by  the  savages,  and  as  the  knife  of  the 
savage  passed  under  his  scalp,  he  seemed  to 
realize  his  condition  partly,  and  in  his  delirium 
wildly  threw  his  arms  out  and  snatched  the  scalp 
from  the  Indian,  who  had  just  lifted  it  from  his 
skull.  With  this  he,  too,  got  away  in  the  dark- 
ness, and  is  now  an  employe  of  the  company  at 
Omaha. 

But  the  fated  train  came  on  without  any 
knowledge  of  what  had  transpired  in  front.  As 
the  engine  approached  the  ravine,  the  head-light 
gleaming  out  in  the  darkness  in  the  dim  dis- 
tance, fast  growing  less  and  less,  the  engineer, 
Brooks  Bowers  by  name,  but  familiarly  called 
"  Bully  Brooks  "  by  the  railroad  men,  saw  that 
the  rails  were  displaced,  whistled  "down 
brakes,"  and  reversed  his  engine,  but  all  too  late 
to  stop  the  train.  The  door  of  the  fire-box  was 
open,  and  the  fireman  was  in  the  act  of  adding 
fuel  to  the  flames  within,  when  the  crash  came. 
That  fireman  was  named  Hendershot,  and  the 
boys  used  to  speak  of  him  as  "the  drummer  boy 
of  the  Rappahannock,"  as  he  bore  the  same 
name,  and  might  have  been  the  same  person 
whose  heroic  deeds,  in  connection  with  Burn- 
side's  attack  on  Fredericksburg,  are  now  matters 


of  history.  He  was  thrown  against  the  fire-box 
when  the  ravine  was  reached,  and  literally 
roasted  alive,  nothing  but  a  few  of  his  bones  be- 
ing afterwards  found.  The  engineer  was  thrown 
over  the  lever  he  was  holding  in  his  hands, 
through  the  window  of  his  cab,  some  twenty  feet 
or  more.  In  his  flight  the  lever  caught  and  rip- 
ped open  his  abdomen,  and  when  found  he  was 
sitting  on  the  ground  holding  his  protruding 
bowels  in  his  hands.  Next  to  the  engine  were 
two  flat  cars  loaded  with  brick.  These  were 
landed,  brick  and  all,  some  thirty  or  forty  feet 
in  front  of  the  engine,  while  the  box  cars,  loaded 
with  freight,  were  thrown  upon  the  engine  and 
around  the  wreck  in  great  disorder  After  a 
time  these  took  fire,  and  added  horror  to  the 
scene.  The  savages  now  swarmed  around  the 
train  and  whooped  and  yelled  in  great  glee. 
When  the  shock  first  came,  however,  the  con- 
ductor ran  ahead  on  th^  north  side  of  the  track 
to  the  engine,  and  there  saw  Bowers  and  Hender- 
shot in  the  position  we  have  described  them. 
He  told  them  he  must  leave  them  and  flag  the 
second  section  of  the  train  following  after,  or  it, 
too,  would  be  wrecked.  He  then  ran  back,  sig- 
naled this  train,  and  with  it  returned  to  Plum 
Creek.  Arriving  there  in  the  middle  of  the 
night,  in  vain  did  he  try  to  get  a  force  of  men  to 
proceed  at  once  to  the  scene  of  the  disaster.  No 
one  would  go.  In  the  morning,  however,  they 
rallied,  armed  themselves  and  went  out  to  the 
wreck.  By  this  time  it  was  near  ten  o'clock.  The 
burning  box  cars  had  fallen  around  the  brave 
engineer,  and  while  the  fiery  brands  had  un- 
doubtedly added  to  his  agony,  they  had  also 
ended  his  earthly  existence.  His  blackened  and 
charred  remains  only  told  of  his  suffering.  The 
rescuing  party  found  the  train  still  burning — the 
Indians  had  obtained  all  the  plunder  they  could 
carry,  and  left  in  the  early  morning.  In  the  first 
gray  dawn  of  the  morning  they  manifested  their 
delight  over  the  burning  train  in  every  possible 
way,  and  their  savage  glee  knew  no  bounds. 
From  the  cars  not  then  burned  they  rolled  out 
boxes  and  bales  of  merchandise,  from  which  they 
took  bright-colored  flannels,  calicos,  and  other 
fancy  goods.  Bolts  of  these  goods  they  would 
loosen,  and  with  one  end  tied  to  their  ponies'  tails 
or  the  horn  of  their  saddles,  they  would  mount 
and  start  at  full  gallop  up  and  down  the  prairie 
just  to  see  the  bright  colors  streaming  in  the 
wind  behind  them.  But  the  end  of  this  affair 
was  not  yet.  The  avenging  hand  ot  justice  was 
on  the  track  of  these  blood-thirsty  villains,  who, 
for  some  inscrutable  reason,  are  permitted  to 
wear  the  human  form.  In  the  spring  of  that 
year,  by  order  of  General  Augur,  then  in  com- 
mand of  the  military  department  of  the  Platte, 
Major  Frank  North,  of  Columbus,  Neb.,  who 
had  had  no  little  experience  in  the  business,  was 
authorized  to  raise  a  battalion  of  two  hundred 
Pawnee  Indians,  who  were  peaceable  and  friendly 


35 


towards  the  whites,  and  whose  reservation  is 
near  Columbus,  for  scouting  duty.  It  was  the 
old  experiment  of  fighting  the  devil  with  fire  to 
be  tried  over  again.  These  scouts  were  to  fight 
the  various  hostile  bands  of  the  Sioux,  Arrapa- 
hoes,  and  Cheyennes,  and  assist  in  guarding  the 
railroad,  and  the  railroad  builders.  At  the  time 
this  train  was  attacked,  these  scouts  were  scat- 
tered in  small  detachments  along  the  line  of  the 
road  between  Sidney  and  the  Laramie  Plains. 
General  Augur  was  immediately  notified  of  it, 
and  he  telegraphed  Major  North  to  take  the 
nearest  company  of  his  scouts  and  repair  as  soon 
as  possible  to  the  scene  of  the  disaster.  At  that 
time,  Major  North  was  about  fourteen  miles  west 
of  Sidney,  at  the  end  of  the  track,  and  his  nearest 
company  was  some  twelve  miles  further  on. 
Mounting  his  horse,  he  rode  to  their  camp  in 
about  fifty  minutes,  got  his  men  together,  and 
leaving  orders  for  the  wagons  to  follow,  returned, 
arriving  at  the  end  of  the  track  at  about  four 
o'clock  in  the  afternoon.  By  the  time  these  men 
and  horses  were  loaded  on  the  cars,  the  wagons 
had  arrived,  and  by  five  o'clock  the  train  pulled 
out.  Arriving  at  Julesburg,  they  were  attached 
to  a  passenger  train,  and  by  midnight,  or  within 
twenty-four  hours  after  the  disaster  took  place, 
he  arrived  at  the  scene.  Meanwhile  other  white 
troops,  stationed  near  by,  had  arrived.  In  the 
morning  he  was  ordered  by  General  Augur  to 
follow  the  trail  and  ascertain  whether  the  at- 
tack had  been  made  by  northern  or  southern  In- 
dians. With  ten  men  he  started  on  the  scout. 
The  sharp-sighted  Pawnees  soon  struck  the  trail. 
They  found  where  the  hostile  band  had  crossed 
the  river,  and  where  they  had  abandoned  some 
of  their  plunder.  They  followed  the  trail  all 
that  day,  and  found  that  it  bore  south  to  the 
Republican  Valley.  From  this  fact,  and  other 
indications  that  only  Indians  would  notice,  he 
ascertained  that  the  attacking  band  were  south- 
ern Cheyennes.  Returning  from  this  scout,  after 
about  thirty-five  miles'  travel,  he  reported  to  the 
commanding  officer  at  Omaha,  and  received 
orders  to  remain  in  the  vicinity,  and  thoroughly 
scout  the  country,  the  belief  being  generally  en- 
tertained among  the  officers  that,  if  not  followed, 
the  Indians  would  soon  return  on  another  raid. 
Subsequent  events  proved  this  belief  to  be  true, 
and  they  had  not  long  to  wait.  In  about  ten 
days,  their  camp  being  at  Plum  Creek,  one  of 
the  scouts  came  running  into  camp  from  the 
bluffs  south  of  Plum  Creek,  and  reported  that 
the  Indians  were  coming.  He  had  discovered 
them  in  the  distance,  making  their  way  in  the 
direction  of  the  old  overland  stage  station,  which 
they  soon  after  reached.  Arriving  here,  they 
unsaddled  their  horses  and  turned  them  loose  in 
an  old  sod  corral  to  feed  and  rest.  They  then 
began  preparations  to  remain  all  night.  The 
scouts,  however,  proposed  to  find  out  who  and 
what  they  were  before  the  evening  approached. 


Major  North  first  determined  to  go  with  the 
company  himself,  but  at  the  urgent  solicitation 
of  Capt.  James  Murie,  finally  gave  him  charge 
of  the  expedition.  There  were  in  the  command, 
two  white  commissioned  officers — Lieut.  Isaac 
Davis,  besides  the  Captain  —  two  white  ser- 
geants, and  forty-eight  Pawnees.  The  company 
marched  from  their  camp  straight  south  to  the 
Platte  River,  which  they  crossed ;  then  turning 
to  the  left  followed  down  its  bank  under  the 
bushes  to  within  about  a  mile  and  a  half  of  the 
creek.  Here  they  were  discovered  by  the  Chey- 
ennes. Then  there  was  mounting  in  hot  haste — 
the  Cheyennes  at  once  preparing  for  the  fray. 
There  were  one  hundred  and  fifty  warriors  to  be 
pitted  against  this  small  band  of  fifty-two,  all 
told.  But  the  Cheyennes,  up  to  this  time,  sup- 
posed they  were  to  fight  white  soldiers,  and  were 
very  confident  of  victory.  Forming  in  regular 
line,  011  they  rushed  to  the  conflict.  Captain 
Murie's  command,  as  soon  as  they  found  they 
were  discovered,  left  the  bushes  on  the  river 
bank  and  went  up  into  the  road,  where  they 
formed  in  line  of  battle  and  were  ordered  to 
charge.  As  the  order  was  given,  the  Pawnees 
set  up  their  war-whoop,  slapped  their  breasts 
with  their  hands  and  shouted  "  Pawnees."  The 
opposing  lines  met  on  the  banks  of  the  creek, 
through  which  the  scouts  charged  with  all  their 
speed.  The  Cheyennes  immediately  broke  and 
fled  in  great  confusion,  every  man  for  himself. 
Then  followed  the  chase,  the  killing  and  the 
scalping.  The  Indians  took  their  old  trail  for 
the  Republican  Valley,  and  put  their  horses  to 
their  utmost  speed  to  escape  the  deadly  fire  of 
the  Pawnees.  Night  finally  ended  the  chase,  and 
when  the  spoils  were  gathered,  it  was  found  that 
fifteen  Cheyenne  warriors  had  been  made  to  bite 
the  dust,  and  their  scalps  had  been  taken  as  tro- 
phies of  victory.  Two  prisoners  were  also  taken, 
one  a  boy  of  about  sixteen  years  and  the  other  a 
squaw.  The  boy  was  a  nephew  of  Turkey  Leg, 
the  chief.  Thirty-five  horses  and  mules  were 
also  taken,  while  not  a  man  of  the  scouts  was 
hurt.  After  the  chase  had  ceased,  a  rain-storm 
set  in,  and  tired  with  their  day's  work,  with  the 
trophies  of  their  victory,  they  returned  to  camp. 
It  was  about  midnight  when  they  arrived.  Ma- 
jor North  and  a  company  of  infantry,  under 
command  of  Capt.  John  A.  Miller,  had  re- 
mained in  camp  guarding  government  and  com- 
pany property,  and  knowing  that  a  battle  had 
been  fought,  were  intensely  anxious  to  learn  the 
result.  When  the  Pawnees  came  near,  it  was 
with  shouts  and  whoops  and  songs  of  victory. 
They  exhibited  their  scalps  and  paraded  their 
prisoners  with  great  joy,  and  spent  the  whole 
night  in  scalp-dances  and  wild  revelry.  This 
victory  put  an  end  to  attacks  on  railroad  trains 
by  the  Cheyennes.  The  boy  and  squaw  were 
kept  in  the  camp  of  the  Pawnees  until  late  in 
the  season,  when  a  big  council  was  held  with  the 


36 


FQ&&ISF. 


Brule  Sioux,  Spotted  Tail's  band,  at  North 
Platte,  to  make  a  new  treaty.  Hearing  of  this 
council,  Turkey  Leg,  chief  of  the  Cheyennes, 
sent  in  a  runner  and  offered  to  deliver  up  six 
white  captives  held  in  his  band  for  the  return 
of  the  boy  and  the  squaw.  After  th~.  necessary 
preliminaries  had  been  effected,  the  runner  was 
told  to  bring  the  white  captives,  that  the  ex- 
change might  be  made.  The  boy  held  by  the 
scouts  was  understood  to  be  of  royal  lineage,  and 
was  expected  to  succeed  Turkey  Leg  in  the  chief- 
taincy of  the  tribe.  After  the  exchange  had 
taken  place,  the  old  chief  would  scarcely  allow 
the  boy  to  leave  his  sight — such  was  his  attach- 
ment to  him,  and  manifested  his  delight  in  every 
possible  way  over  his  recovery.  The  white  cap- 
tives were  two  sisters  by  the  name  of  Thompson, 
who  lived  south  of  the  Platte  River,  nearly  oppo- 
site Grand  Island,  and  their  twin  brothers ;  a 
Norwegian  girl  taken  on  the  Little  Blue  River, 
and  a  white  child  born  to  one  of  these  women 
while  in  captivity.  They  were  restored  to  their 
friends  as  soon  as  possible. 

The  Next  Attach. — The  Indians  were  not 
willing  to  have  the  iron  rails  that  should  bind 
the  shores  of  the  continent  together  laid  in 
peace,  and  made  strenuous  and  persistent  efforts 
to  prevent  it.  On  the  16th  of  April,  18G8,  a  "cut 
off "  band  of  Sioux,  under  a  scalawag  chief, 
named  Two  Strikes,  attacked  and  killed  five 
section-men  near  Elm  Creek  Station,  taking  their 
scalps,  and  ran  off  a  few  head  of  stock.  They 
were  never  pursued.  On  the  same  day,  and  evi- 
dently according  to  a  pre-arranged  plan,  a  part  of 
the  sam 3  band  attacked  the  post  at  Sidney.  They 
came  up  on  the  bluffs  north  of  the  town  and 
fired  into  it.  But  no  one  was  injured  from  their 
shooting  at  that  time.  Two  conductors,  however, 
named  Tom  Gaboon  and  William  Edmunson, 
had  gone  down  the  Lodge  Pole  Creek,  a  little  way 
to  fish.  They  were  unobserved  by  the  Indians 
when  the  firing  took  place.  Hearing  the  re- 
ports they  climbed  up  the  bank  to  see  what 
was  going  on,  and  being  seen  by  the  Indians, 
they  at  once  made  an  effort  to  cut  them 
off,  though  they  were  only  a  mile  or  so  from 
the  post.  The  savages  charged  down  upon 
them,  and  shot  Cahoon,  who  fell  forward  on 
the  ground.  The  Indians  immediately  scalped 
him  and  left  him  for  dead.  Mr.  Edmunson 
ran  towards  the  post  as  fast  as  he  could, 
and  drawing  a  small  Derringer  pistol,  fired 
at  his  pursuers.  Thinking  he  had  a  revolver 
and  would  be  likely  to  shoot  again  if  they  came 
too  close,  they  did  not  venture  up  as  they  had 
done,  but  allowed  him  to  escape.  He  got  away 
with  some  eight  or  nine  arrow  and  bullet  wounds 
together  and  carrying  four  arrows  sticking  in  his 
body.  He  was  taken  to  the  hospital,  and  rapidly 
recovered  from  his  wounds.  After  the  Indians 
had  gone,  the  citizens  went  after  the  body  of  Mr. 
Cahoon,  whom  they  supposed  dead,  but  to  their 


surprise  he  was  still  alive.  They  brought  him 
into  the  post,  where  he  recovered,  and  is  now 
running  on  the  road. 

Attack  at  Ogalalla. — In  September  of  the 
same  year,  the  same  band  of  Sioux  attempted  to 
destroy  a  train  between  Alkali  and  Ogalalla. 
They  fixed  the  rails  the  same  as  at  Plum  Creek. 
As  the  train  came  up  the  rails  penetrated  the 
cylinders  on  each  side  of  the  engine,  as  it  was  a 
straight  track  there  ;  the  engine  going  over  into 
the  ditch,  with  the  cars  piling  up  on  top  of  it. 
The  engineer  and  one  of  the  brakemen  who  was 
on  the  engine  at  the  time,  were  thrown  through 
the  window  of  the  cab,  and  were  but  little  hurt. 
The  fireman  was  fastened  by  the  tender  against 
the  end  of  the  boiler,  and  after  the  train  had 
stopped,  there  being  no  draft,  the  flames  of  the 
fire  came  out  of  the  door  to  the  fire-box  upon 
him,  and  the  poor  fellow  was  literally  roasted 
alive.  He  was  released  after  six  hours  in  this 
terrible  position,  during  which  he  begged  the 
attendants  to  kill  him,  but  lived  only  a  few 
moments  after  his  release.  All  the  trains  at  this 
time  carried  arms,  and  the  conductor,  with  two 
or  three  passengers,  among  whom  was  Father 
Ryan,  a  Catholic  priest  of  Columbus,  Nebraska, 
seized  the  arms  and  defended  the  train — the 
Indians  meanwhile  skulking  among  the  bluffs 
near  the  track,  and  occasionally  firing  a  shot. 
Word  was  sent  to  North  Platte,  and  an  engine 
and  men  came  up,  who  cleared  the  wreck.  Mean- 
while word  was  sent  to  Major  North,  then  at 
Willow  Island,  to  take  one  company  of  his  scouts 
and  follow  the  Indians.  He  came  to  Alkali  and 
reported  to  Colonel  Mizner,  who  was  marching 
from  North  Platte  with  two  companies  of  cavalry, 
all  of  whom  started  in  pursuit.  They  went  over 
to  the  North  Platte  River,  crossed  that  stream 
and  entered  the  sand-hills,  where  the  scouts  over- 
took and  killed  two  of  the  Indians;  the  whole 
party  going  about  thirty-five  miles  to  a  little 
lake,  where  the  main  body  of  Indians  had  just 
left  and  camped,  finding  the  smouldering  em- 
bers of  the  Indian  fires  still  alive.  That  night 
some  of  the  white  soldiers  let  their  camp  fires 
get  away  into  the  prairie,  and  an  immense  prairie 
fire  was  the  result.  This,  of  course,  alarmed  the 
Indians,  and  further  pursuit  was  abandoned, 
much  to  the  disgust  of  the  scouts.  Colonel 
Mizner  also  claimed  that  his  rations  were  run- 
ning short,  but  from  all  the  facts  we  can  learn, 
he  lacked  the  disposition  to  pursue  and  capture 
those  Indians.  At  least,  this  is  a  charitable  con- 
struction to  put  upon  his  acts. 

In  October  of  th»3  same  year  (1868),  the  same 
band  of  Indians  attacked  the  section-men  near 
Potter  Station,  drove  them  in  and  run  off  about 
twenty  head  of  horses  and  mules.  Major  North 
and  his  scouts  were  immediately  sent  in  pursuit. 
Leaving  camp  at  Willow  Island,  the  command 
was  soon  on  the  ground.  It  was  evidently  a 
small  raiding  party,  and  Major  North  sent  a 


37 


Lieutenant  and  fifteen  of  his  men  after  them. 
They  struck  their  trail,  followed  them  to  the  North 
Platte  River,  which  they  crossed,  followed  and 
overhauled  them  in  the  sand-hills,  killing  two, 
recapturing  a  part  of  the  stolen  horses,  and  re- 
turned without  loss.  The  Indians  have  made 
some  efforts  to  ditch  a  few  trains  since  that  year, 
but  have  effected  no  serious  damage.  Their 
efforts  of  late  have  mostly  been  confined  to  stock 
stealing,  and  they  never  seem  so  happy  as  when 
they  have  succeeded  in  running  off  a  large  num- 
ber of  horses  and  mules.  When  the  road  was 
first  built  it  was  their  habit  to  cross  it,  going 
south  and  north,  several  times  in  each  year.  They 
roamed  with  the  buffaloes  over  the  plains  of 
Nebraska,  Colorado,  Wyoming  and  Kansas.  The 
effort  of  the  government  of  late  has  been  to 
confine  them  on  their  reservations,  and  the  rapid 
disappearance  of  the  buffaloes  from  the  regions 
named  have  given  them  no  excuse  for  hunting  in 
the  country  now  crossed  by  railroads  and  filling 
up  with  settlers. 

Coyote — is  the  next  station,  simply  a  side 
track  with  a  section-house  near  by.  But  little 
timber  is  visible  at  this  place,  though  the  bottom 
lands  begin  to  widen,  giving  an  extended  view. 
This  is  not  a  timber  country,  and  wherever  it  is 
found,  the  traveler  will  please  bear  in  mind  that 
it  is  the  exception  and  not  the  rule.  The  islands 
in  the  river  doubtless  had  some  timber,  but  the 
most  of  it  has  long  since  disappeared.  Occasion- 
ally you  may  see  a  few  scattering  trees  which 
have  been  left  by  the  prairie  fires,  and  which 
stand  in  inaccessible  places.  This  side  track  is 
23!).  1  miles  from  Omaha,  and  2,440  feet  above 
the  sea.  The  next  station  is 

Cozad — so  named  after  a  gentleman  from 
Cincinnati,  Ohio,  who  purchased  about  40,000 
acres  of  land  here  from  the  railroad  company ; 
laid  out  the  town;  built  quite  a  number  of 
houses ;  induced  people  to  settle  here ;  has  resold 
a  good  deal  of  his  land,  but  still  has  about  20,000 
acres  in  the  immediate  vicinity.  Along  the  rail- 
road track,  west  of  Plum  Creek,  the  traveler  will 
notice  that  the  buffalo  grass  has  been  rooted  out 
by  what  is  called  prairie  or  blue-joint  grass.  This 
last  is  an  annual  grass  and  is  killed  by  frost, 
after  which  it  resembles  dark  colored  brick — a 
reddish  brown  appearance.  It  has  but  little  nutri- 
ment after  the  frost  comes,  but  if  cut  and  cured 
in  July  or  August,  makes  an  excellent  quality  of 
hay.  The  buffalo  grass  is  just  over  the  divide  a 
little  way,  but  is  giving  way  to  that  just  named. 
Some  men  of  capital  near  Cozad,  are  interest- 
ing themselves  in  sheep  raising,  and  frequently 
from  this  place  west  you  will  see  large  herds  of 
cattle.  Cozad  is  215.1  miles  from  Omaha,  with 
an  elevation  of  2,480  feet.  It  has  two  or  three 
stores,  school-house,  hotel,  several  large  dwellings, 
and  with  favorable  seasons  for  growing  crops  in 
the  future,  will  become  quite  a  town.  The  Platte 
Valley  at  this  point  is  about  twenty  miles  wide. 


Willow  Island — is  the  next  station;  so 
named  from  the  large  number  of  willow  bushes 
on  the  island  in  the  river  near  by.  It  is  250.1  miles 
from  the  Missouri,  and  has  an  elevation  of  2,511 
feet.  The  prairie  or  blue-joint  grass  still  con- 
tinues along  the  side  of  the  track,  and  the  bluffs  on 
the  south  side  of  the  river  seem  more  abrupt.  They 
are  full  of  ravines  or  "  draws,"  and  these  some- 
times have  timber  in  them.  At  this  station  a  large 
quantity  of  cedar  piles  and  telegraph  poles  are 
delivered.  They  are  hauled  some  forty  miles 
from  the  canons  in  the  South  Loup  Valley. 
There  is  a  store  at  this  station  and  a  corral  near 
by  where  stock  is  kept;  with  a  few  old  log  and 
mud  buildings,  rapidly  foing  to  decay  in  the 
vicinity.  The  glory  of  this  place,  if  it  ever  had 
any,  has  long  since  departed,  but  it  may,  never- 
theless, yet  become  the.  pride  of  stock-men,  who 
shall  count  their  lowing  herds  by  the  thousand. 

Grand  DuJce  Alexis'  First  Buffalo  Hunt. 

During  the  visit  of  the  Grand  Duke  Alexis  of 
Russia,  to  the  United  States,  the  imperial  party 
were  escorted  to  the  plains,  and  enjoyed  the  excite- 
ment of  a  buffalo  hunt,  over  the  western  prairies. 
Connected  with  the  chase  were  some  incidents  of 
rare  curiosity  and  pleasure.  As  the  only  repre- 
sentative of  the  great  Russian  nation,  he  has  seen 
the  novelty  of  military  life  on  the  frontier ;  shak- 
en hands  with  partially  tamed  Indian  warriors, 
and  smoked  the  pipe  of  peace  in  ancient  style. 
Among  the  company  were  Buffalo  Bill,  a  noble 
son  of  the  wild  West,  and  Generals  Sheridan 
and  Custer.  The  red  men  appeared  in  a  grand 
pow-wow  and  war-dance,  and  indulged  in  arrow 
practice  for  his  particular  benefit. 

The  party  started  from  camp  Alexis,  Willow 
Creek,  Nebraska,  in  January,  1872.  For  the  hunt 
the  Duke's  dress  consisted  of  jacket  and  trowsers 
of  heavy  gray  cloth,  trimmed  with  green,  the 
buttons  bearing  the  Imperial  Russian  coat-of- 
arms;  he  wore  his  boots  outside  his  trowsers,  his 
cap  was  an  Australian  turban,  with  cloth  top; 
he  carried  a  Russian  hunting  knife,  and  an 
American  revolver  recently  presented  to  him, 
and  bearing  the  coat-of-arms  of  the  United  Slates 
and  of  Russia  on  the  handle. 

General  Custer  appeared  in  his  well-known 
frontier  buckskin  hunting  costume,  and  if,  in- 
stead of  the  comical  sealskin  cap  he  wore,  he  had 
only  had  feathers  fastened  in  his  flowing  hair,  he 
would  have  passed  at  a  distance  for  a  great  In- 
dian chief. 

Buffalo  Bill,  the  famous  scout,  was  dressed  in 
a  buckskin  suit  trimmed  with  fur,  and  wore  a 
black  slouch  hat,  his  long  hair  hanging  in  ring- 
lets down  his  shoulders. 

Game  was  sighted  in  a  long  canon  with  broken 
sides  and  high  hills  on  either  side,  forming  a 
magnificent  arena. 

The  Grand  Duke  and  Custer  started  off,  and 
as  they  went  Custer  pulled  out  his  revolver,  and 


38 


said,  "  Are  you  ready,  Duke  ?  "  Alexis  drew  off 
his  glove,  grasped  his  pistol,  and  with  a  wave  of 
his  hand  replied,  "  All  ready  now,  General."  Buf- 
falo Bill  had  been  selected  to  show  the  Grand 
Duke  how  the  buffaloes  would  stand  at  bay  when 
suddenly  attacked.  A  cow  was  singled  out  to 
show  him  how  fleet  of  foot  the  females  are,  and 
the  speed  and  skill  essential  to  overtake  and  kill 
them.  As  soon  as  she  espied  them  she  started 
off  at  full  speed,  the  Duke  and  Custer  after  her. 
Finding  herself  hard  pressed,  she  ran  up  a  steep 
declivity  on  the  right  side  of  the  canon,  and  gain- 
ing a  footing  on  the  slope,  kept  along  the  narrow 
ledge,  while  the  Duke  and  Custer  followed  in  a 
line  along  the  bottom  of  the  canon.  The  chase 
was  most  exciting,  and  the  Grand  Duke,  exhib- 
iting an  enthusiasm  and  daring  which  the  most 


elevation  of  2,637  feet,  and  268.4  miles  from  the 
eastern  terminus  of  the  road.  The  island  in  the 
river,  from  which  the  station  is  named,  is  quite 
large,  and  formerly  had  considerable  timber  for 
this  country.  An  occasional  tree  may  yet  be  seen. 
Mcfherson — is  277.5  miles  from  Omaha, 
and  2,695  feet  above  the  sea.  It  is  the  station 
named  after  the  fort  which  is  located  south  of  the 
Platte  River,  on  a  military  reservation,  and 
nearly  opposite  the  station.  There  is  a  wagon 
bridge  across  the  river  connecting  the  two  places. 
The  fort  is  about  seven  miles  from  the  station, 
and  is  located  near  some  springs  formerly  called 
"Cotton-wood  Springs."  It  bears  the  name  of 
the  gallant  general  who  fell  before  Atlanta,  in 
1864,  in  the  war  for  the  preservation  of  the 
Union.  But  few  soldiers  are  now  kept  at  this 


GRAND  DUKE  ALEXIS  KILLING  HIS  FIRST  BUFFALO. 


experienced  western  hunter  could  not  have  sur- 
passed, pressed  his  game  until  she  turned  upon 
him.  Describing  a  semi-circle  with  his  horse, 
he  dashed  to  the  other  side  of  her,  and  taking 
deliberate  aim,  discharged  the  contents  of  his 
revolver  into  her  fore  shoulder,  as  quick  as  a 
flash  of  lightning.  The  buffalo  fell  dead  upon 
the  instant.  Thus,  as  he  telegraphed  to  his  fa- 
ther, the  Czar  of  Russia,  he  killed  the  first  wild 
horned  monster  that  had  met  his  eye  in  America. 
The  sport  continued  for  two  days,  and  ended 
with  a  series  of  Indian  festivities. 

Warren — is  a  side  track  260.4  miles  from 
Omaha,  and  2,570  feet  above  the  sea.  A  section- 
house  stands  near  by.  The  valley  here  narrows, 
and  the  bluffs  on  both  sides  come  near  the  river. 

Brady  Island — is  the  next  station,  with  an 


fort,  though  at  the  time  the  war  was  in  progress, 
and  afterwards  during  the  building  of  the  road, 
and  in  the  years  of  Indian  conflict  that  raged  on 
the  frontier,  it  was  a  post  of  considerable  import- 
ance. Immense  quantities  of  hay  are  annually 
cut  near  this  place,  with  which  government  and 
private  contracts  are  filled.  A  part  of  the  Sev- 
enth Iowa  Cavalry,  under  Major  O'Brien,  camped 
on  the  site  of  the  fort  iu  1866,  and  afterwards 
troops  from  the  regular  army  were  stationed 
here. 

Gannett — named  after  J.  W.  Gannett,  Esq., 
of  Boston,  and  present  auditor  of  the  Union  Pacific 
Railroad — is  a  side  track  with  adjacent  section- 
house  ;  is  285.2  miles  from  Omaha,  and  2.752 
feet  above  the  sea.  All  the  stations  for  from  fifty 
to  a  hundred  miles  east  of  this,  are  located  in  an 


39 


excellent  grazing  country,  and  cattle  and  sheep 
are  coming  in  to  occupy  it. 

Five  miles  from  Gannett,  the  railroad  crosses 
the  North  Platte  River  on  a  pile  bridge.  There 
is  a  side  track  and  two  section-houses  just  east 
of  the  river,  the  side  track  for  hay  cars,  and  one 
of  the  section-houses  near  the  bridge  for  the 
watchman,  who  walks  its  entire  length  after  the 
passage  of  every  train.  The  bridge  is  planked 
by  the  railroad  company,  and  rented  by  Lincoln 
County,  so  that  wagons,  teams  and  stock  have 
free  passage.  After  leaving  Cozad,  the  number 
of  settlers'  cabins  and  houses  diminishes  till  you 
come  to  the  North  Platte  Valley.  South  of  the 
river  between  Fort  McPherson  and  North  Platte, 
there  are  quite  a  number  of  homesteaders,  who 
have  farmed  it  for  a  few  years,  with  indif- 
ferent success,  having  to  contend  with  drought 
and  grasshoppers.  The  soil  has  been  proven  to 
be  prolific,  but  some  plan  of  irrigation  will  have 
to  be  adopted,  before  agriculture  can  be  made  a 
paying  investment.  In  choice  locations,  how- 
ever, such  as  pieces  of  low  bottom  land  near  the 
river,  crops  of  potatoes  and  "  garden  truck  "  have 
been  successfully  raised  for  several  years. 

We  have  now  entered  upon  the  great  stock- 
growing  region  of  the  continent,  where  cattle  and 
horses  can  be  grown  and  kept  the  year  round 
without  hay,  and  where  the  buffalo  grass,  except- 
ing along  the  streams,  affords  the  rich  nutriment 
that  produces  fat,  and  renders  cattle  ready  for 
market  without  grain. 

The  North  Platte  River  will  be  crossed  again 
at  Fort  Steele.  It  has  its  source  in  northern 
Colorado,  west  of  the  Medicine  Bow  Mountains. 
The  Laramie  River,  which  you  cross  just  beyond 
Laramie  City,  and  the  Sweetwater,  which  rises 
in  the  Wind  River  Mountains  north  of  Point  of 
Rocks,  and  runs  through  the  great  South  Pass, 
are  two  of  its  principal  tributaries.  It  drains  an 
immense  region  of  country,  and  is  fed  by  innu- 
merable streams  and  springs  from  the  Black  Hills 
of  Wyoming,  the  Wind  River  Mountains,  the 
Medicine  Bow  Mountains,  the  Sweetwater  Moun- 
tains, the  Big  Horn  Mountains,  Rattlesnake  Hills 
and  other  elevations.  The  traveler  must  not  be 
confused  by  the  term  "  Black  Hills."  The  Black 
Hills  of  Wyoming  are  those  which  you  cross  be- 
tween Cheyenne  and  Laramie  City,  the  summit 
of  which  you  reach  at  Sherman.  These  are  not 
the  Black  Hills  of  which  so  nui^h  has  been  said 
of  late,  in  connection  with  the  di-covery  of  gold 
and  the  Sioux  Indians.  They  are  called  the 
Black  Hills  of  Dakota,  and  the  nearest  point  to 
them  on  the  railroad  is  Sidney.  From  the  im- 
mense amount  of  water  which  runs  into  the 
North  Platte  River,  it  is  a  mystery  what  becomes 
of  it  all,  as  the  river  is  shallow  and  sluggish 
where  it  is  crossed  near  its  mouth.  Its  treach- 
erous bottom  of  ever  varying  and  shifting 
quicksands,  like  that  of  the  South  Platte,  does 
not  make  it  a  good  fording  stream  for  wagons, 


though  the  water,  except  in  certain  seasons  of 
of  the  year,  is  the  smallest  obstacle.  Up  to  the 
spring  of  1875,  this  river  was  the  southern  bound- 
ary of  what  the  Sioux  Indians  claimed  as  their 
reservation,  and  it  was  only  by  the  payment  of  a 
special  appropriation  of  $25,000,  that  they  re- 
linquished the  right  to  hunt  as  far  south  as 
this  river.  The  principal  military  posts  on  the 
stream,  are  Forts  Fetterman,  usually  occupied  by 
but  few  troops,  and  Laramie.  The  latter  is  at 
present  the  principal  military  depot  for  both 
troops  and  supplies  off  the  line  of  the  railroad, 
in  this  part  of  the  West.  It  is  90  miles  from 
Cheyenne,  its  nearest  railroad  station,  and  the 
point  from  whence  nearly  all  the  frontier  expe- 
ditions into  northern  Wyoming,  western  Dakota, 
and  the  Big  Horn  and  Powder  River  countries, 
start.  The  Laramie  River  and  the  North  Platte 
form  a  junction  near  the  fort. 

The  South  Platte,  which  the  railroad  still  fol- 
lows for  about  eighty-five  miles,  is  similar  to  the 
North  Platte,  so  far  as  external  observations 
go.  It  rises  in  the  mountains  south  and  west  of 
Denver,  receives  a  large  number  of  tributaries ; 
the  chief  of  which  is  the  Cache  La  Poudre,  which 
forms  a  junction  with  it  at  Greeley,  and  then 
pursues  a  due  east  course  to  the  Missouri  River. 
The  junction  with  the  North  Platte  is  formed  a 
few  miles  below  the  bridge  just  spoken  of.  On 
neither  of  these  streams,  nor  on  any  of  their 
tributaries  can  agricultural  pursuits  be  carried 
on  without  irrigation,  and  not  always  with  success 
with  irrigation.  The  hand  of  the  Almighty  has 
placed  its  ineffaceable  mark  upon  all  this  vast 
region  of  country — that  it  is  His  pasture  ground 
and  adapted,  so  far  as  is  known,  to  no  other  pur- 
pose. Millions  of  buffaloes  have  ranged  over 
these  bleak  and  desolate-looking  plains  for  ages 
past,  and  from  the  short  grass  which  grows  in 
abundance  thereon,  have  derived  a  rich  suste- 
nance. They  have  gone  or  are  fast  going,  and  the 
necessities  of  the  civilization  which  follows,  calls 
for  beef  and  mutton.  These  plains  must  become 
the  great  beef-producing  region  of  the  continent. 
They  are  the  Almighty's  pasture  grounds,  and  if 
there  are  not  a  thousand  cattle  upon  a  hill,  there 
will  surely  be  "  cattle  upon  a  thousand  hills." 
The  numerous  tributaries  to  these  two  rivers 
are  from  ten  to  fifteen  miles  apart,  with  high  roll- 
ing prairies  between — affording  abundance  of 
water  with  adjacent  pasture,  and  this  pasture  is 
the  home  of  the  richest  natural  grasses. 

Before  you  reach  the  North  Platte  River,  you 
will  see  conclusive  evidence  of  the  adaptability 
of  these  plains  to  stock-raising,  and  from  this 
time  on  to  where  the  river  is  again  crossed,  you 
will  see  numerous  herds  of  cattle  and  flocks  of 
sheep.  The  snows  of  winter  in  these  elevated 
regions  are  dry,  and  not  frequent.  Driven  by 
fierce  winds,  they  will  fill  the  hollows  and  small 
ravines,  while  the  hills  are  always  left  bare,  so 
that  cattle  and  sheep  can  always  obtain  access  to 


41 


the  ground,  and  the  buffalo  and  bunch  grasses 
with  which  it  is  covered.  While  hay  must  be 
cut  for  the  sustenance  of  sheep  during  the  few 
days  storms  may  last,  and  for  the  horses  and 
cattle  that  may  be  kept  up ;  the  vast  herds, 
whether  of  cattle  or  horses,  will  go  through  the 
most  severe  winter  that  has  ever  been  known  in 
this  region  without  hay  or  shelter,  except  that 
afforded  by  the  ravines.  The  experiment  has 
been  repeatedly  tried,  and  the  vast  herds  that 
are  now  kept  in  this  region,  attest  the  success  of 
that  experiment.  In  Lincoln  County,  of  which 
the  town  of  North  Platte  is  the  county-seat, 
there  are  probably  60,000  head  of  cattle  alone. 
Eastern  farmers  and  stock-raisers  will  see  that 
the  attempt  to  provide  hay  for  this  vast  number 
would  be  useless,  and  if  required  would  render 
the  keeping  of  so  many  in  a  single  county  un- 
profitable. The  expense  of  providing  hay  would 
in  the  first  place  be  great,  and  the  expense  of 
confining  the  cattle  and  feeding  it  out  would  be 
still  greater.  And  if  the  buffaloes  have  lived  in 
this  country  year  after  year,  during  the  flight  of 
the  centuries  without  hay,  why  may  not  cattle  and 
horses  do  likewise  ?  The  stock-grazing  region 
to  which  allusion  is  here  made,  comprises  in  fact 
all  the  country  west  of  the  100th  meridian  of 
longitude,  to  the  base  of  the  Rocky  Mountains, 
and  the  elevated  plateaus  or  great  parks  lying 
between  the  eastern  and  western  ranges  of  the 
same  mountains;  while  the  extent  north  and 
south  reaches  from  the  Gulf  of  Mexico  to  the 
northern  boundary  line  of  the  United  States. 
Three  great  railroad  lines  already  penetrate  this 
vast  stock  range,  and  a  decade  will  hardly  pass 
away  before  other  lines  will  follow.  A  ready 
outlet  to  the  best  stock  markets  in  the  country 
is  therefore  always  accessible  and  always  open. 
But  with  all  the  natural  advantages  of  this 
region,  not  eveiy  one  who  may  be  captivated  with 
the  idea  of  a  stock  ranch e  and  lowing  herds,  can 
make  it  a  success.  The  business  requires  capital 
and  care — just  the  same  attention  that  is  given 
to  any  other  successful  business.  Nor  can  it  be 
safely  entered  upon  under  the  impression  that  a 
fortune  can  be  made  in  a  day  or  in  a  year.  It  is 
a  business  liable  to  losses,  to  severe  winters,  un- 
favorable seasons  and  a  glutted  market.  It  does 
not  run  itself.  By  reason  of  a  single  hard  win- 
ter, one  man  in  the  stock  business  has  been 
known  to  lose  a  hundred  thousand  dollars,  and 
the  losses  that  same  winter  were  proportionally 
severe  upon  those  who  were  not  as  able  to  suffer 
them.  It  is  a  business  which,  if  closely  attended 
to,  promises  large  returns  upon  the  capital  in- 
vested, and  which,  at  the  same  time,  is  liable  to 
heavy  losses.  It  is  more  sure  than  mining  and 
more  profitable  than  agricultural  or  dairy-farm- 
ing. But  we  shall  have  more  to  say  of  this 
hereafter,  with  specific  illustrations  as  to  what 
can  be  done  in  both  sheep  husbandry  and  cattle 
raising.  Returning  to  the  two  rivers,  one  of 


which  we  crossed  near  their  junction — the  vast 
area  of  bottom  lands  continue  to  widen,  and  for 
a  long  distance  each  has  its  broad  valley.  Leav- 
ing the  North  Platte  here  we  shall  ascend  the 
_ South  Platte  to  Julesburg.  About  one  mile  west 
of  the  bridge,  we  arrive  at 

North  Platte — the  end  of  another  division 
of  the  Union  Pacific  Railroad.  It  is  291  miles 
from  Omaha,  and  2,789  feet  above  the  sea.  It 
is  a  thriving  city,  avid  outside  of  Omaha  has 
the  most  extensive  machine  and  repair  shops 
on  the  line  of  the  road.  The  roundhouse  has 
twenty  stalls,  and  it,  together  with  the  machine 
and  repair  shops,  are  substantially  built  of  brick. 
In  these  shops  engines  and  cars  are  either  repaired 
or  entirely  built  over, — a  process  which  cannot 
hardly  be  called  repairing,  but  which  neverthe- 
less renders  them  as  good  as  new.  The  engine- 
room  for  the  machine-shops,  is  a  model  of 
neatness;  everything  in  and  around  it  being 
kept  in  perfect  order. 

The  town  has  about  2,000  inhabitants,  two 
wide-awake  newspapers ;  the  Republican  being 
a  weekly,  and  the  Western  Ncbraskian  being  a 
semi-weekly,  together  with  several  wholesale  and 
retail  stores  and  shops  of  various  kinds.  The 
Railroad  House  is  the  largest  and  leading  hotel. 
About  150  men  are  given  constant  employment 
in  the  shops.  There  are  also  one  or  two  com- 
panies of  troops  stationed  here,  not  to  protect 
the  railroad  from  the  savages,  for  that  necessity 
has  passed,  but  for  economy  in  keeping  and 
convenience  for  frontier  duty.  The  town  also 
has  two  or  three  church  edifices,  a  brick  court- 
house and  brick  school-house,  both  new,  and  both 
presenting  a  fine  appearance.  There  are  also 
several  elegant  private  residences.  It  is  beauti- 
fully located,  and  has  excellent  drainage.  The 
bluffs  or  hills  are  in  near  view,  both  north  and 
south,  and  give  quite  a  picturesque  appearance 
to  the  country  in  the  immediate  vicinity.  The 
Black  Hills  excitement,  in  regard  to  the  discovery 
of  gold,  has  had  some  effect  upon  the  town,  and 
a  railroad  off  to  the  north-west  is  talked.  It 
is  the  home  of  some  of  the  leading  stock-men  of 
this  section  of  country.  Near  this  city,  in  1875, 
Col.  E.  D.  Webster  and  Mrs.  A.  W.  Randall, 
wife  of  the  late  ex-postmaster-general  Randall, 
formed  a  copartnership  to  engage  in  the  dairying 
business,  and  erected  a  cheese  factory.  During 
the  year  they  manufactured  about  30  tons  of 
cheese,  which  brought  them  a  fair  return.  Col- 
onel Webster  claims  that  the  experiment  has 
demonstrated  that  the  business  can  be  carried 
on  with  profit,  and  he  believes  it  will  eventually 
become  tjie  leading  feature  of  this  part  of  the 
country.  He  further  says  that  the  only  draw- 
back at  present  is  the  scarcity  and  unreliability 
of  help,  it  being  difficult  to  obtain  a  sufficient 
number  of  "milkers"  at  a  reasonable  price  to 
milk  a  large  number  of  cows.  In  1876  the  firm 
proposes  to  make  cheese  from  the  milk  of  from 


42 


F0&SISF. 


one  to  two  hundred  cows,  and  the  balance  of 
their  herd — some  five  hundred — will  be  devoted 
to  stock-raising.  This  dairy  establishment  is 
one  of  the  new  enterprises  of  North  Platte,  and, 
if  successful  in  the  future,  will  make  it  the 
prominent  cheese-market  of  the  West. 

The  town  has  abundant  attractions  for  invalids 
needing  rest — there  being  antelope  and  deer  in 
the  hills,  fish  in  the  streams,  and  an  abundance 
of  pure  air  to  invigorate  the  body.  It  has  a 
bright  future  and  is  destined  to  become  one  of 
the  leading  towns  on  the  line  of  the  railroad. 
Formerly  it  was  an  eating-station,  but  as  now 
run,  trains  pass  it  in  the  night.  The  road  was 
finished  to  this  town  in  the  fall  of  1866,  from 
which  time  until  the  following  June  it  was  the 
point  where  all  overland  freight  was  shipped. 
It  was  a  rough  town  then,  but  this  state  of 
affairs  did  not  last  long,  and  the  character  of 
the  place  rapidly  improved  with  the  arrival  of 
permanent  set- 
tlers. There 
were  a  few  In- 
dian scares,  but 
no  serious  at- 
tack was  made 
by  the  savages 
upon  the  town. 
Two  or  three 
trains  were 
ditched  and 
wrecked,  both 
east  and  west, 
but  this  was  the 
extent  of  the 
damage  done 
by  them.  Of 
this,  however, 
we  shall  have 
more  to  say  in 
another  place. 

Chimney  Hocfc.—Near  North  Platte  is  the 
far-famed  Chimney  Rock,  two  and  a  half  miles 
from  the  south  bank  of  the  Platte  River.  It  is 
composed  of  a  friable  yellowish  marl,  which  can 
be  cut  readily  with  the  knife.  It  rises  in  the 
form  of  a  thin,  perpendicular  shaft  above  a  coni- 
cal mound,  whose  base  slopes  gradually  out 
toward  the  plains.  It  appears  to  be  the  re- 
newal of  the  old  chain  of  hills  and  rocks  which 
bounded  the  valley,  but  which,  from  their  soft- 
ness of  material,  have  been  disintegrated  by 
wind  and  weather.  This  possessing  harder  ma- 
terial has  withstood  these  effects,  although  it  is 
steadily  yielding.  In  the  days  of  Fremont's  ex- 
pedition, it  was  estimated  that  it  was  over  200 
feet  in  height,  but  other  travelers  and  explorers 
who  had  seen  it  years  before,  stated  that  its 
height  had  been  as  great  as  500  feet.  In  those 
days  it  was  a  landmark  visible  for  forty  or  fifty 
miles ;  now  it  is  hardly  35  feet  in  height. 
Around  the  waist  of  the  base  runs  a  white  band 


CHIMNEY  ROCK,   NEAR  NORTH  PLATTE. 


which  sets  off  its  height,  and  relieves  the  uni- 
form yellow  tint.  It  has  often  been  struck  by 
lightning. 

TJie  Overland  Pony  Express. 

The  Pony  Express  (of  which  few  now  remem- 
ber those  days  of  excitement  and  interest)  was 
started  in  1860,  and  the  3d  of  April,  that  year,  is 
the  memorable  date  of  the  starting  of  that  first 
trip.  In  those  days,  the  achievements  of  the 
Pony  Express  were  attended  with  an  eager  excite- 
ment hardly  less  interesting  than  the  building  of 
the  Pacific  Railroad  itself.  "  Overland  to  Califor- 
nia in  thirteen  days,"  was  repeated  everywhere  as 
a  remarkable  achievement.  The  first  company 
organized  was  formed  in  California  in  1858  or 
1859,  under  the  name  of  the  Central  Overland 
California  and  Pike's  Peak  Express.  At  that 
time,  with  no  telegraph  or  even  stage  line  across 
the  continent,  this  attempt  was  considered  extra- 
ordinarily au- 
dacious. The 
services  plan- 
ned and  exe- 
cuted by  the 
company  were 
a  pony  express, 
with  stations 
sixty  miles 
apart,  the  en- 
tire distance 
from  St.Joseph, 
Mo.,  to  Sacra- 
mento. The 
time  occupied 
between  ocean 
and  ocean  was 
fourteen  days, 
and  from  St. 
Joseph  to  San 
Francisco,  ten 
days.  And  the  schedule  of  the  company  re- 
quired the  pony  express  to  make  trips  in  the 
following  time : 

From  St.  Joseph  to  Marysville,  12  hours. 

From  St.  Joseph  to  Fort  Kearny,  34  hours. 

From  St.  Joseph  lo  Laramie,  80  hours. 

From  St.  Joseph  to  Fort  Bridger,  108  hours. 

From  St.  Joseph  to  Salt  Lake,  12t  hours. 

From  St.  Joseph  to  Camp  Floyd,  128  hours. 

From  St.  Joseph  to  Carson  City,  118  hours. 

From  St.  Joseph  to  Flacerville,  226  hours. 

From  St.  .Joseph  to  Sacramento,  232  hours. 

From  St.  Joseph  to  San  Francisco,  240  hours. 

An  express  messenger  left  once  a  week  from  each 
side  with  not  more  than  ten  pounds  of  matter. 
The  best  of  riders  were  chosen  from  among  trap- 
pers, scouts  and  plains  men,  familiar  with  all  the 
life  of  the  route,  fearless,  and  capable  of  great 
physical  power,  endurance  and  bravery.  The 
ponies  were  very  swift  and  strong,  a  cross  be- 
tween the  American  horse  and  Indian  pony,  and 
after  each  run  of  sixty  miles,  waited  till  the  ar- 
rival of  the  messenger  from  the  opposite  direc- 


43 


OVERLAND   PONY  EXPRESS    PURSUED  BY  HIGHWAYMEN. 


tion,  when  each  returned.     The  riders  were  con- 
stantly exposed  to  dangers  from   Indian  attacks 
and  pursued   by  highwaymen ;   and   to  compen- 
sate them  for  this  risk  they  received  the  large 
salary  of  $1, 200  a   month  each  ;  and  the  modest 
price   charged   for   the   conveyance  of  business 
letters  was  $5.00,  gold,  per  quarter  ounce.     At 
the  time  of  the  departure  of  the  first  messenger 
from  St.  Joseph,  a  special  train  was  run  over  the 
Hannibal  and  St   Joseph  Railroad  to  bring  the 
through  messenger  from  New  York,  and  a  "  Pom/ 
Express  Extra  "  was  issued  of  two  pages,  by  the 
St.  Joseph  Daily  Gazette,  containing  telegraphic 
news    from    all 
parts  of  the 
world,    with    a 
heavily     leaded 
account   of   the 
new   enterprise, 
and  sending 
greetings  to  the 
press  of  Califor- 
nia. 

The  route 
from  St  Joseph, 
after  reaching 
the  Platte  Val- 
ley, followed 
just  north  of  the 
present  track  of 
the  Pacific  Rail- 
road to  Lara- 

mie,  then  up  the  OLD  PONY  EXPRESS  STATION  AT  CHEESE  CRKEK,  NEBRASKA. 

Sweet  Water  to  Salt  Lake,  and  down  the  Hum- 
boldt  to  Sacramento.     Night  and  day  the  messen- 


gers spurred  their  ponies  witli  the  greatest  speed 
each  could  endure.  Often  on  arriving  at  an 
express  station  the  messenger,  without  waiting 
to  dismount,  tossed  his  bag  to  another  already 
waiting,  and  each  were  off  at  once,  back  again, 
and  thus  for  eight  days  the  little  express  bag 
traveled,  arriving  at  the  rail  terminus,  rarely  a 
minute  behind  the  prescribed  time,  a  total  dis- 
tance of  2,000  miles. 

For  two  years  this  system  was  kept  up,  until 
the  telegraph  line  was  finished  in  1862,  when  the 
company  dissolved  with  a  loss  of  $200,000.  As  an 
instance  of  rapid  speed,  once,  very  important  dis- 
patches— e  1  e  c  - 
tion  news — were 
carried  from  St. 
Joseph,  Mo.,  to 
Denver  City, 
Col.,  625  miles, 
in  sixty-nine 
hours,  the  last 
ten  miles  being 
made  in  thirty- 
one  minutes. 
On  this  and  next 
page,  we  give 
two  illustrations 
characteristic  of 
these  times. 
One  engraving 
is  taken  from  a 
painting  of  G. 
G.  M.  Ottinger, 

of  Salt  Lake  City,  which  represents  the  express 
rider  dashing  along  and  cheering  the  telegraph 


44 


men  who  were  erecting  the  poles.  This  is  an 
actual  scene,  as,  in  the  summer  of  1862,  while  the 
telegraph  was  under  construction,  the  flitting  by 
of  the  Pony  Express  was  an  almost  daily  occur- 
rence. An  illustration  is  also  given  of  one  of 
these  express  stations  at  Cheese  Creek,  Neb., 
which  was  soon  afterwards  abandoned  as  a  thing 
of  the  past.  The  government  mails  were  carried 
by  special  contract  of  the  Overland  Mail  Com- 
pany with  the  United  States  government,  which 
was  started  in  1858,  who  contracted  with  them  to 
run  a  monthly  mail  from  San  Francisco  to  the 
Missouri  River  for  a  consideration  of  $650,000 
annual  compensation.  Of  this  company,  John 
Butterfield  who  drove  the  first  coach,  was  presi- 
dent. The  route  chosen  was  the  Ox  Bow,  via. 
Santa  Fe,  but  in  1860  the  Indians  became  so 


the  driver  may  be  heard  shouting  loudly,  or  with 
terrific  whoop — a  mile  or  so  before  his  station  is 
reached  the  keepers  have  heard  it — and  as  his 
stage  rattles  up,  the  new  relay  of  horses  is  ready, 
and  in  two  or  three  minutes  the  stage  is  on  its  way 
again.  After  a  few  days'  journey,  the  travelers 
become  used  to  the  swinging  motion  of  the  stage, 
and  sleep  as  naturally  as  if  made  for  such  a  life. 

A  Word  with  Invalids. 

Thousands  of  invalids,  especially  consumptives, 
visit  the  mountains  and  California  coast,  every 
year,  in  search  of  health,  and  to  try  the  effect  of  a 
change  of  climate  in  restoring  them  to  activity  and 
vigor.  There  can  be  no  question  but  that  many 
have  been  benefited  by  the  change,  and  it  is  a  fact 
equally  parent  that  many  have  left  good  homes, 


POXY  EXPRESS  SALUTING  THE  TELEGRAPH. 


troublesome  that  the  route  was  changed  to  that 
of  the  Pony  Express,  and  soon  afterwards  a  daily 
mail  was  established  at  an  expense  of  $1,000,000 
annually.  The  incidents  of  overland  stage  life 
have  been  repeated  over  and  over  again  in  books 
of  Western  adventure.  Here  and  there  were 
lonely  post-offices  away  out  on  the  distant  prairies 
or  plains.  No  passengers  to  set  down  or  take  up, 
the  driver  throws  out  his  mail-bag,  catches  the 
one  thrown  to  him,  and  whirls  on  without  stop- 
ping, or  scarcely  checking  the  speed  of  his  team. 
Morning,  noon  or  night  comes  the  inevitable 
"refreshment  station,"  such  as  it  is,  where  the 
weary  passengers,  well  shaken  up,  were  glad  to 
regale  themselves  on  pork  and  beans,  corn  bread, 
and  "slumgullion" — the  Far  Western  name  for 
tea.  Toward  the  middle  of  the  night,  perhaps, 


kind  friends,  and  plenty  of  care — to  die  alone 
and  among  strangers.  With  this  last  class  the 
main  trouble  is,  they  wait  too  long  in  the  East 
before  starting.  The  disease,  more  or  less  rapid 
in  its  strides,  gets  too  firm  a  hold  upon  the  sys- 
tem— becomes  too  deeply  rooted  to  be  easily 
thrown  off ;  then  they  start  for  health  and  rest 
that  cannot  be  found,  and  most  always  go  too  far 
in  search  of  it.  There  are  a  few  words  of  ad- 
vice to  these  people,  which  are  the  result  of  years 
of  observation  and  experience  on  the  plains  and 
among  the  mountains. 

First,  the  discovery  of  a  tendency  to  lung  and 
throat  diseases  should  be  a  sufficient  incentive 
to  prompt  one  to  an  immediate  change  of  cli- 
mate. Do  not  wait  until  a  change  becomes  hope- 
less because  of  the  advanced  stages  of  the  disease. 


45 


Second,  do  not  at  fir*t  go  too  far.  This  is 
another  mistake  frequently  committed  by  those 
who  finally  get  started. 

Third,  do  not  (/o  too  fas/.  Remember  the 
railroad  from  Omaha,  in  less  than  two  days,  will 
take  you  to  an  altitude  of  more  than  8,000  feet, 
and  this  is  a  severe  test  on  a  pair  of  healthy 
lungs,  to  say  nothing  of  its  effect  upon  weak 
ones.  First  go  as  far  as  Grand  Island,  and  stop. 
This  place  is  1,850  feet  above  the  sea,  and  you 
are  in  the  midst  of  a  fine  prairie  country, 
with  a  generally  clear  atmosphere  and  balmy 
breezes.  Here  are  good  hotel  accommodations, 
in  a  thickly  settled  region,  where  you  can  obtain 
plenty  of  fresh  milk,  cream  and  eggs,  and  such 


either  along  the  stream  or  on  the  adjoining  high- 
lands, still  camping  out,  until  you  reach  North 
Platte.  Then  take  another  rest,  look  around  the 
country,  mount  your  horse  and  ride  out  to  the 
cattle  ranches  and  live  with  the  herders  for  a 
time.  Do  not  be  in  a  hurry  to  get  away,  and 
after  you  have  been  here  a  month  or  six  weeks, 
if  you  still  improve,  or  even  hold  your  own  with 
the  character  of  the  life  herein  prescribed,  it  will 
be  safe  for  you  to  go  still  farther,  and  in  the  same 
manner.  But  if  you  are  not  benefited  by  the 
trip  thus  far,  it  will  be  better  for  you  to  return  to 
your  homes  and  friends,  where  loving  hands  can 
smooth  your  pillow  and  administer  comfort  dur- 
ing your  declining  days. 


BUFFALO  HUJST1.NU. 


other  articles  of  diet  as  are  necessary  and  condu- 
cive to  your  welfare.  Ride  or  walk  out  from 
town ;  go  around  among  the  farmers,  and  if, 
after  a  month  or  so,  you  improve  and  wish  to  go 
farther,  buy  a  team  and  wagon,  and  from  this 
place  go  along  leisurely  overland,  camping  out  if 
the  weather  is  favorable.  There  are  opportuni- 
ties for  hunting  and  fishing,  along  the  road, 
which  will  afford  amusement  and  recreation. 
When  you  get  to  Kearny  Junction,  stop  a  few 
weeks.  Notice  the  effect  of  your  new  mode  of 
life  and  the  climate  upon  your  health,  and  if 
you  simply  hold  your  own.  it  is  safe  for  you  to 
take  another  step  up  the  Platte  Valley  in  your 
westward  journey.  Leisurely  pursue  your  way, 


If  the  journey  has  benefited  you,  pursue  it 
overland  and  camping  out,  to  Sidney  or  Chey- 
enne, up  the  Lodge  Pole  Valley  and  along  side 
of  the  railroad,  or  at  Julesburg  go  up  the  South 
Platte  Valley  to  Greeley.  You  are  now,  if  at 
Cheyenne,  over  6,000  feet  above  the  sea,  and  be- 
tween 5,000  and  6,000  feet  at  either  Greeley  or 
Denver,  in  the  midst  of  a  rarified  and  dry  atmos- 
phere. Jf  your  health  is  regained,  do  not  think 
of  returning,  for  this  is  almost  sure  to  bring  on  a 
relapse,  which  is  usually  sudden,  and  from  which 
there  is  no  escape;  your  safety  depends  upon 
your  remaining  in  these  high  altitudes,  and  on 
the  high  and  dry  plains  of  the  West.  A  trip 
down  in  New  Mexico,  and  across  the  plains  to 


46 


Arizona,  will  also  prove  beneficial.  In  the  old 
overland  times,  thousands  of  consumptives  re- 
gained their  health  in  driving  teams,  and  by 
slowly  crossing  the  plains,  who  would  have  died 
if  the  same  journey  had  been  taken  on  the  cars. 
By  the  latter  mode,  the  change  from  a  damp  and 
heavy  atmosphere  in  the  East,  to  the  rarified  and 
dry  air  of  the  plains  and  mountains,  is  too  sud- 
den ;  and  after  all,  if  the  disease  has  become 
thoroughly  seated,  it  is  doubtful  if  any  change 
will  be  effectual.  It  is  an  experiment  which 
should  only  be  tried  with  all  possible  safeguards 
thrown  around  it. 

Buffalo  Grass. — After  you  have  passed  the 
stations  of  North  Platte  and  Sidney,  you  will  ob- 
serve the  entire  country  carpeted  with  a  short, 
dried  up  grass  growing  in  little  bunches.  This  is 
the  famous  buffalo  grass  which  covers  thousands  of 
miles  of  the  plains  northward  and  southward  and 
westward.  Though  it  gives  to  the  country  a 
dried  look,  as  if  the  very  appearance  of  desola- 
tion and  sterility,  yet  it  is  the  richest  grass  ever 
known  in  the  world.  The  entire  State  of  Ne- 
braska is  famous  for  its  remarkable  variety  of 
grasses.  The  Platte  Valley  is  the  home  of  no 
less  than  149  varieties,  all  native  to  the  soil, 
and  were  it  not  for  the  extraordinary  beauty 
and  luxuriance  of  the  green  carpet  the  grasses 
make,  the  Valley  of  the  Platte  would  be  almost 
wholly  devoid  of  inteiest.  The  buffalo  grass  is 
rarely  over  two  to  three  inches  in  height,  and  its 
seed  is  produced  on  flowers  almost  covered  by 
leaves  close  to  the  ground.  It  grows  in  little 
tufts,  broad  and  dense,  and  is  exceedingly  rich 
and  sweet,  having  no  less  than  3  0-10  per  cent, 
of  saccharine  matter.  When  making  its  first 
growth  in  the  spring,  it  is  green,  then  dries  on 
its  stem  and  remains  the  rest  of  the  year  like 
cured  hay  on  the  open  ground,  retaining  all  its 
sweetness.  Without  a  single  exception,  horses, 
mules  and  stock  of  all  descriptions,  will  forsake 
all  other  kinds  of  grass  until  all  the  buffalo  grass 
within  reach  has  been  consumed.  While  the 
buffaloes  roamed  over  this  country  it  was  their 
natural  food,  but  With  their  disappearance  and 
the  coming  of  the  white  man,  it  is  disappearing 
to  give  place  to  others.  Leaving  North  Platte, 
the  next  station  is 

Nichols,— 299.4  miles  from  Omaha,  and  2,882 
feet  above  the  sea.  It  is  simply  a  side  track  with 
section-house  near,  in  the  midst  of  the  level 
bottom  lands  between  the  two  rivers,  both  of 
which  are  in  sight.  Before  reaching  North  Platte 
it  will  be  observed  that  the  bottom  narrows,  and 
that  the  bluffs  or  sand-hills  in  some  instances 
approach  the  river's  bank.  But  after  leaving 
the  town,  for  nearly  twenty  miles  west,  the  level 
prairie  between  the  rivers  spreads  out  in  view, 
with  bluffs  on  either  side  beyond.  Between 
North  Platte  and  this  station  there  are  a  few  set- 
tlers, but  the  territory  is  mostly  occupied  as  the 
winter  range  of  Keith  &  Barton's  herd  of  cattle, 


as  they  are  easily  confined  between  the  rivers 
with  little  help. 

(J'Fallon's—is  the  next  station.  It  is  307.9 
miles  from  Omaha,  with  an  elevation  of  2,970 
feet.  ]t  is  a  telegraph  station.  O'Fallon's  Bluffs 
are  plainly  visible  south  of  the  South  Platte 
River,  which  they  closely  approach ;  at  this 
point  we  lose  sight  of  the  Valley  of  the  North 
Platte — a  ridge  of  low  hills  jutting  down  from 
the  west,  while  the  railroad  follows  the  south 
river.  The  railroad  reached  this  place  late  in  the 
fall  of  1800,  but  North  Platte  was  the  terminal 
station  until  Julesburg  was  reached  in  1807.  If 
there  was  any  timber  on  the  streams  in  this 
vicinity,  it  has  long  since  disappeared.  On  an 
island  in  the  South  Platte  the  Indians  used  to 
camp,  and  from  their  hiding  places  in  the  sand- 
hills and  bluffs,  frequently  attacked  emigrants 
and  trains,  but  as  before  remarked,  with  the  buf- 
faloes, the  Indians  disappear. 

Dexter — is  simply  a  side  track  where  trains 
occasionally  meet  and  pass.  It  is  31 5.2  miles  from 
Omaha,  and  has  an  elevation  of  3,000  feet.  The 
bluffs  here  come  very  near  the  river,  and  they 
are  utilized  in  the  building  of  a  corral — the  rocky 
ledge  answering  all  the  purposes  of  a  fence. 
The  monotony  of  the  scenery  up  to  this  point 
now  passes  away,  and  the  traveler  will  always 
find  something  in  the  ever-varying  views  of  rocks, 
bluffs,  streams  and  plains  that  will  interest  him 
in  the  journey. 

Alkali. — A  telegraph  station,  322.4  miles  from 
the  Missouri  River,  and  3.038  feet  above  the  sea. 
The  alkali  spots  which  have  been  witnessed  in 
the  soil  since  we  left  Omaha,  are  now  more  fre- 
quent, and  the  station  naturally  takes  its  name 
from  these  characteristics.  This  station  has  a 
small  depot,  side  track  and  section-house ;  is  in 
the  midst  of  a  fine  grazing  country,  and  opposite 
an  old  stage  station  south  of  the  river. 

Itoscoe. — Simply  a  side  track,  332.0  miles 
from  Omaha,  with  an  elevation  of  3.105  feet. 
Just  before  reaching  this  place,  and  in  this  vicin- 
ity, the  railroad  passes  through  more  sandy 
bluffs  that  approach  the  river. 

Of/alalla — is  the  next  station,  341.0  miles 
from  Omaha.  Elevation  3,190  feet.  It  is  the 
county-seat  of  Keith  County,  Nebraska,  arid  is 
destined  to  be  the  Texas  town  on  the  line  of  the 
Union  Pacific.  The  regular  trail  for  driving 
cattle  from  Texas  may  be  said  to  terminate  here. 
It  has  a  depot,  water  tank,  side  tracks,  cattle 
chutes,  store,  one  or  two  boarding-houses,  saloon, 
etc.  It  is  the  head-quarters  and  outfitting  place 
of  a  large  number  of  ranchmen,  who  have  herds 
of  cattle  in  this  vicinity.  It  is  some  twelve 
miles  from  the  North  Platte  River,  where  a  num- 
ber of  herds  find  ample  range.  In  1875,  it  is 
claimed  that  nearly  00,000  head  of  Texas  cattle 
were  driven  to  this  point,  and  afterwards  dis- 
tributed to  various  parties  to  whom  thpy  were 
sold.  A  large  number  of  them  were  taken  to  the 


47 


Indian  agencies  at  Red  Cloud  and  Spotted  Tail. 
There  will  be  numerous  buildings  erected  soon  to 
accommodate  the  growing  necessities  of  the  town. 
Leaving  Ogalalla  we  next  come  to 

Brute, — so  called  from  the  Brule  Sioux,  a 
band  of  which  Spotted  Tail  is  the  chief.  Red 
Cloud  is  chief  of  the  Ogalalla  Sioux.  This  is 
probably  the  most  powerful  tribe  of  Indians  now 
existing  in  the  country,  and  when  all  united  they 
are  said  to  be  able  to  raise  at  least  10,000  war- 
riors. Those  of  them  who  have  been  taken  east 
to  Washington  and  other  eastern  cities,  seem  to 
have  lost  their  belligerent  feelings  toward  the 
whites,  and  will  not  probably  go  to  war  with 
them  unless  misled  by  tricksters  or  influenced  by 
some  other  powerful  motive.  The  young  "  bucks" 
who  have  remained  on  their  reservations,  how- 
ever, think  they  can  whip  the  whole  country  in 
a  very  short  time  if  they  should  once  get  at  it. 
This  station  was  a  favorite  crossing  place  with 
this  band  of  Sioux  during  the  years  when  they 
used  to  hunt  on  the  rivers  south,  or  go  on  their 
scalping  and  horse-stealing  expeditions.  Brule 
is  351.2  miles  from  Omaha,  and  has  an  eleva- 
tion of  3,266  feet.  North  of  this  place,  on 
the  North  Platte,  is  Ash  Hollow,  a  celebrated 
camping  ground  for  Indians  and  the  scene  of  a 
great  victory  over  them  by  General  Harney,  in 
18")9.  The  whole  tribe  of  Sioux  probably  have 
a  greater  admiration  for  General  Harney,  to-day, 
than  for  any  other  living  American.  Physical 
force  is  the  only  power  which  they  can  be  made 
to  respect  and  tear.  Next  comes 

Big  Spriuy,— which  is  360.9  miles  from  the 
eastern  end  of  the  road,  with  an  elevation  ci 
3,325  feet.  It  is  so  named  from  large  springs 
which  break  to  the  surface  of  the  ground  at  the 
foot  of  the  bluffs,  on  the  right-hand  side  of  the 
road  going  west,  and  in  plain  sight  of  the  cars. 
The  water  tank,  at  this  station,  is  supplied  from 
these  springs.  The  water  is  excellent,  and  the 
station  is  quite  a  camping  place  for  those  who 
continue  to  journey  overland.  This  is  a  tele- 
graph station. 

Barton,— called  after  Hon.  Guy  C.  Barton  of 
North  Platte.  It  is  308.7  miles  from  Omaha,  and 
3,421  feet  above  the  sea — simply  a  side  track 
where  trains  meet  and  pass.  Beyond  this  sta- 
tion, a  short  distance,  the  old  town  of  Julesburg 
can  be  seen  across  the  river.  Late  in  1875,  a 
stray  herd  of  about  six  hundred  buffaloes  quietly 
passed  over  the  old  town  site  to  and  from  the 
river,  where  they  went  for  water.  It  will  proba- 
bly be  their  last  visitation  to  this  part  of  the 
country. 

Jiilesburff, — 377.4  miles  from  Omaha,  and 
3,500  feet  above  the  sea.  It  was  named  after 
Jules  Burg — a  frontier  character  who  was  killed 
by  one  Jack  Slade,  another  rough,  in  the  old 
overland  stage  times.  The  old  town  was  across 
the  river,  some  four  miles  below  the  present  sta- 
tion, and  was  a  pretty  rough  place.  The  station 


is  opposite  old  Fort  Sedgwick,  now  abandoned, 
and  was  the  proposed  junction  of  a  branch  rail- 
road up  the  South  Platte  River  by  way  of  Gree- 
ley  to  Longmont,  from  which  a  railroad  is  com- 
pleted to  Denver.  This  branch  is  graded  nearly 
the  entire  distance,  and  bridged  part  of  the  way. 
By  an  agreement  made  in  1875,  the  Union  Pa- 
cific, or  men  in  the  company,  relinquished  the 
proposed  and  completed  roads  in  Colorado  to 
the  Kansas  Pacific,  and  the  latter  road  relin- 
quished its  through  business  to  the  Pacific  coast, 
and  its  efforts  to  compel  the  Union  Pacific  to 
pro  rate  with  it  from  Cheyenne  west.  This  ar- 
rangement effected  the  entire  suspension  of  all 
efforts  to  complete  this  branch,  and  Julesburg  is 
now,  as  formerly,  a  way-station  on  the  Union 
Pacific.  It  is,  however,  quite  a  place  for  ship- 
ping stock,  has  one  or  two  stores,  some  adobe 
houses  and  stables,  with  cattle-yards  and  chutes. 
The  completion  of  this  branch  road  would  have 
been  of  great  benefit  to  the  Union  Pacific,  and  to 
the  entire  State  of  Nebraska,  by  reason  of  the 
coal  which  is  found  in  large  quantities  near 
Boulder,  and  which,  if  obtained  there,  would 
save  some  three  or  four  hundred  miles  in  haul- 
ing over  very  heavy  grades,  as  is  now  done.  It 
is  doubtful  if  it  is  ever  completed.  At  this 
point  the  Union  Pacific  passes  through  the 
north-eastern  corner  of  Colorado,  and  here  it 
leaves  the  South  Platte  River  and  ascends  Lodge 
Pole  Creek  to  within  a  few  miles  of  Cheyenne. 

The  early  pioneers  who  went  to  Utah,  Califor- 
nia and  Oregon  overland,  usually  crossed  the 
South  Platte  River  at  this  place,  and  followed  up 
the  Lodge  Pole  to  Cheyenne  Pass.  In  fact,  there 
were  many  routes.  One  up  the  North  Platte,  one 
up  the  South  Platte,  one  up  the  Lodge  Pole,  and 
others.  The  northern  route  passed  through  what 
is  known  as  the  Great  South  Pass,  about  65 
miles  north  of  the  Point  of  Rocks.  The  Lodge 
Pole  route  crossed  the  Black  Hills  at  Cheyenne 
Pass,  and  the  South  Platte  route  followed  up  the 
Cache  La  Poudre  and  Dale  Creek,  until  it  struck 
the  great  Laramie  Plains  south-west  of  Sherman. 

Fort  Sedgwick,  of  which  we  have  spoken,  was 
established  in  May,  1864,  and  was  named  after 
the  gallant  commander  of  the  Sixth  Corps,  army 
of  the  Potomac,  who  was  killed  at  the  battle  of 
Spottsylvania  Court-House  while  sighting  a  gun, 
and  whose  loss  was  greatly  lamented  by  the  en- 
tire army,  and  especially  the  corps  he  commanded. 
Among  "  the  boys  "  he  was  familiarly  spoken  of 
as  "  Farmer  John." 

Incidents  in  the  History  of  Jnleslturg. 

The  overland  stage  company  had  quite  an  im- 
portant station  at  Julesburg,  south  side  of  the 
river,  and  about  a  mile  east  of  the  location  of 
Fort  Sedgwick.  It  was  in  1865,  before  any  rails 
had  been  laid  on  the  Union  Pacific.  The  stage 
company  had  accumulated  a  large  quantity  of 
supplies  at  this  station,  and  the  Indians  knowing 


48 


this,  and  ever  .hostile  to  the  travel  of  the  whites 
through  this  region,  had  their  cupidity  aroused. 
Troops  were  scattered  all  along  the  route,  and 
frequently  had  to  escort  the  stages  from  one  sta- 
tion to  another.  At  Julesburg,  the  road  crossed 
the  South  Platte,  followed  the  Lodge  Pole  up  to 
Sidney,  and  then  crossed  over  to  the  North 
Platte,  which  it  ascended  to  Fort  Laramie  and 
beyond.  Capt.  X.  J.  O'Brien  was  in  command 
at  the  fort,  with  one  company  of  the  Seventh 
Iowa  Cavalry,  and  two  pieces  of  artillery.  Oil 
the  7th  of  January,  1875,  the  Sioux  and  Chey- 
ennes,  one  thousand  strong,  discovering  the 
small  force  to  defend  it,  attacked  the  fort  with 
great  bravery.  They  had  previously  run  the 
stage  into  the  station,  killing  one  man  and  one 
horse.  When  their  presence  was  discovered, 


but  leaving  their  dead  comrades  to  fall  into  the 
hands  of  the  blood-thirsty  foe.  The  Indians  per- 
ceiving their  disposition  to  fall  back,  redoubled 
their  efforts,  and  endeavored  to  cut  them  off  from 
the  fort.  They  attacked  with  greatei'  fury  and 
boldness  than  ever,  and  came  very  near  effecting 
their  purpose.  The  men,  however,  fell  back  in 
good  order,  and  were  successful  in  gaining  the 
fort.  The  Indians  now  surrounded  this,  but  the 
artillery  was  brought  out  and  served  with  good 
effect,  so  that  they  were  kept  at  bay,  and  event- 
ually night  put  an  end  to  the  conflict.  In  the 
night  the  Indians  withdrew,  and  when  the  morn- 
ing broke,  not  one  was  in  sight.  But  now  comes 
the  most  horrible  part  of  this  incident.  The 
men  went  out  to  find,  if  possible,  the  bodies  of 
their  dead  comrades.  They  found  them,  but 


INDIAN  ATTACK  ON  AN  OVERLAND  STAGE. 


Captain  O'Brien  made  the  best  disposition  possi- 
ble with  his  small  force.  He  left  a  sergeant  with 
some  twelve  men  in  the  fort,  to  handle  the  artil- 
lery, and  mounting  the  rest,  thirty-seven  men 
and  one  officer,  besides  himself,  went  out  to  meet 
the  savages.  The  charge  was  sounded,  and  in 
they  went.  About  a  mile  from  the  fort  there  is 
a  projecting  hill  in  the  bluffs,  back  of  and  around 
which  the  main  body  of  the  Indians  were  con- 
cealed. As  the  men  neared  the  top  of  this  hill, 
they  saw  the  large  force  opposed  to  them,  but 
never  flinched.  The  Indians  charged  upon  them 
with  great  fuiy,  and  for  quite  a  time  the  unequal 
contest  was  continued.  But  his  ranks  having 
become  depleted  by  the  loss  of  fourteen  of  the 
thirty-seven  enlisted  men,  the  captain  ordered 
them  to  fall  back,  which  they  did  in  good  order, 


nearly  all  were  beyond  recognition ;  stripped  of 
every  vestige  of  clothing,  mutilated  beyond  ac- 
count, cold  and  stark  they  lay,  in  the  places  they 
had  fallen ;  their  fingers,  toes  and  ears  cut  off, 
their  months  filled  with  powder  and  ignited,  and 
every  conceivable  indignity  committed  upon  their 
persons.  Sorrowfully  they  gathered  up  these  re- 
mains, and  conveyed  them  to  the  fort,  where 
they  were  decently  buried ;  but  the  recollections 
of  that  awful  night,  did  not  fade  from  the  mem- 
ories of  the  survivors  of  that  company.  In  sub- 
sequent battles  with  the  savages,  their  courage 
was  quickened  and  their  arms  nerved  to  deeds  of 
daring,  which  cost  many  a  warrior  his  life,  and 
gave  him  a  sudden  exit  to  his  happy  hunting 
grounds.  The  loss  of  the  savages  in  this  battle, 
could  not,  at  the  time,  be  accurately  ascertained, 


49 


but  from  the  best  information  since  obtained, 
admitted  by  the  Indians  themselves,  they  had 
sixty-three  warriors  killed  in  this  engagement. 
None  were  found  on  the  iield,  as  they  always  carry 
their  dead  away  with  them. 

On  the  second  day  of  February,  less  than  a 
month  from  the  above  attack,  they  appeared  in 
the  vicinity  of  the  fort  again,  and  attacked  and 
burned  the  station  house  of  the  stage  company, 
other  out-buildings  and  stores,  and  one  or  two 
houses  adjoining.  Five  miles  below  the  station 
was  a  ravine  called  the  Devil's  Dive,  through 
which  the  stages  passed.  Captain  O'Brien  and 
four  or  five  men  were  escorting  the  coach  with 
three  or  four  passengers,  one  of  whom  was  a  lady. 
As  he  ascended  the  bank  of  the  ravine  going  to- 
ward the  fort,  he  saw  a  smoke,  and  riding  up  to  the 
top  of  a  hill,  he  saw  Indians.  Returning  to  the 
coach,  he  had  every  man,  passengers  and  all,  care- 
fully examine  his  arms,  and  caused  the  coach  to 
proceed  slowly  along.  Soon  the  road  iieared  the 
bank  of  the  river,  and  here  he  met  some  team- 
sters with  wagons,  who,  beyond  a  pistol  or  two, 
were  unarmed,  and  who  had  left  the  station  for 
some  object,  less  than  a  half  hour  before.  They 
now  bacams  aware  of  the  situation,  and  were 
greatly  alarmed.  These  men  the  captain  ordered 
to  return  and  keep  near  the  stage,  which  they  did, 
all  moving  slowly  toward  the  station  and  fort. 
Meanwhile  the  heads  of  Indians  were  popping 
up  quite  frequently,  over  the  bluffs  in  the  dis- 
tance. Arriving  near  one  of  these,  the  captain 
boldly  rode  to  the  top,  and  taking  his  blanket 
swung  it  three  times  over  his  head.  The  Indians 
saw  this,  and  supposed  he  had  a  large  force  in 
the  rear,  which  he  was  signaling  to  come  up,  and 
they  began  to  fly.  The  river  was  frozen,  and 
sand  had  been  scattered  over  two  roadways  on 
the  ice.  They  took  everything  they  could  from 
the  burning  station  and  houses,  and  beat  a  re- 
treat across  the  river.  At  the  first  sign  of  their 
leaving,  the  stage-driver  and  teamsters  put  their 
animals  to  their  utmost  speed,  and  ran  into  the 
fort,  the  captain  arriving  there  in  time  to  give 
the  Indians  a  few  parting  shots  from  his  artillery 
as  the  last  of  them  ran  across  the  river.  The 
shots  ricocheted  along  the  ice,  and  caused  the 
Indians  to  drop  some  of  their  plunder,  though 
doing  no  further  damage,  as  we  could  learn. 

These  are  only  two  of  the  many  incidents  in 
our  frontier  histoiy,  that  will  soon  be  beyond 
the  reach  and  knowledge  of  either  the  present  or 
future  generations. 

The  Great  Indian  Battle  at  Summit 
Springs. 

On  the  divide  south  of  the  South  Platte  River, 
and  about  midway  between  old  Fort  Morgan 
and  old  Fort  Sedgwick,  opposite  to  which  Jules- 
burg  now  stands,  there  are  some  fine  springs — 
the  only  good  water  in  quite  a  region  of  territory. 
They  are  now  called  Summit  Springs ;  and  are 
4 


near  the  summit  of  a  divide  from  which  the 
water,  when  there  is  any,  runs  north  and  south. 
In  the  winter  of  1869,  Major  Frank  North,  be- 
fore alluded  to,  received  orders  to  recruit  his 
scouts  for  the  summer  campaign.  He  organized 
one  company  in  February,  and  two  the  following 
April,  the  total  number  in  the  three  companies 
being  one  hundred  and  fifty  men,  exclusive  of 
their  white  officers.  In  April  of  that  year,  Gen- 
eral Carr,  taking  two  of  these  companies  and 
eight  of  the  Fifth  Cavalry,  then  stationed  at 
Fort  McPherson,  was  ordered  to  scout  the  coun- 
try in  the  Republican,  Solomon  and  Saline  Val- 
leys and  their  tributaries,  and  strike  any  ma- 
rauding bands  of  Indians  he  might  find.  At 
that  time,  the  Indians  were  raiding  the  advanced 
settlements  in  the  lower  Republican  and  Solomon 
Valleys,  burning  houses,  killing  and  scalping 
men,  women  and  children,  and  stealing  all  the 
horses  they  could  find.  The  third  company  of 
the  scouts  had  not  then  been  organized.  As 
soon  as  this  was  done,  Major  North  was  ordered 
to  take  them  across  the  country  from  Fort 
Kearny,  and  join  General  Carr's  command,  at 
the  mouth  of  Prairie  Dog  Creek,  in  the  Repub- 
lican Valley.  This  he  did,  effecting  a  junction 
about  the  5th  of  May.  After  scouting  the  coun- 
try between  the  Republican  and  Solomon  for 
about  a  month,  the  command  returned  to  the 
Republican,  where  it  met  a  supply  train,  which 
had  been  sent  out  from  Fort  McPherson,  and 
then  proceeded  up  the  valley.  On  arriving  at 
the  mouth  of  Medicine  Creek,  they  struck  the 
trail  of  a  large  village.  This  was  on  the  first 
day  of  July,  and  they  continued  to  follow  it  up 
the  river  for  about  one  hundred  and  twenty-five 
miles.  The  trail  then  left  the  valley,  and  bore 
off  to  the  North,  until  it  struck  Frenchman 
Creek,  then  up  that  creek  to  its  source,  and  then 
over  a  divide  to  Summit  Springs,  about  thirty- 
five  miles  from  the  headwaters  of  the  Frenchman. 
The  Indians  of  this  village  kept  pickets  out  as  a 
sort  of  a  rear-guard,  but  did  not  think  of  an  at- 
tack from  another  quarter.  The  Pawnee  scouts 
were  constantly  in  the  advance,  and  kept  the 
command  well  informed  of  the  condition  and  dis- 
position of  the  Indians.  They  had  discovered 
the  rear-guard  of  the  Indians,  without  being 
themselves  seen,  reporting  their  situation,  and 
telling  just  how  the  attack  should  be  conducted, 
in  order  to  be  successful.  A  wide  detour  would 
have  to  be  made,  and  the  Indian  village,  en- 
camped in  a  ravine  near  the  springs,  would  have 
to  be  approached  and  attacked  from  the  west. 
Every  precaution  was  taken  to  conceal  the  move- 
ments of  the  troops.  The  attack  was  made  on  the 
1 1th  day  of  July.  The  heavy  wagon  train  was  left 
in  the  rear,  and  the  best  horses  with  their  riders, 
were  selected  for  the  march,  which  was  supposed 
to  be,  with  the  detour  mentioned,  at  least  fifty 
miles.  The  command  arrived  within  about  a 
mile  and  a  half  of  the  Indians  undiscovered,  at 


50 


about  three  o'clock,  p.  M.,  but  before  the  disposi- 
tions and  arrangements  for  making  the  final 
charge  had  been  fully  completed,  one  company  of 
cavalry  unnecessarily  exposed  itself,  and  this  pre- 
cipitated the  attack.  The  Indians  were  Sioux, 
forty  lodges,  Cheyennes,  forty-five  lodges — eighty- 
five  in  all.  They  had  been  in  the  raids  together, 
and  were  to  separate  the  next  day.  They  had 
evidently  concluded  to  take  one  day  at  these 
splendid  Springs,  for  the  enjoyment  of  their  fare- 
well pow-wow,  but  it  proved  to  be  a  "  bad  medi- 
cine day  "  for  them.  When  they  saw  the  com- 
pany of  cavalry  that  had  unfortunately  been 
exposed  to  their  view,  they  ran  out  to  gather  in 
their  horses,  which  were  quietly  feeding  in  the 


the  chief.  He  was  seen,  as  the  troops  approached, 
mounted  upon  his  horse,  with  his  wife  and  child 
behind  him,  trying  to  escape,  but  when  he  found 
his  retreat  cut  off,  he  ran  into  a  "pocket  "or 
"  draw,"  in  the  side  of  a  ravine,  with  almost  per- 
pendicular sides,  where  some  fifteen  other  war- 
riors had  taken  refuge.  He  had  a  very  fine  horse, 
which  he  led  to  the  mouth  of  this  "  pocket "  and 
shot  dead.  He  then  took  his  wife  and  child  and 
pushed  them  up  on  the  bank  of  the  "  pocket," 
telling  her,  as  he  did  this,  to  go  and  give  them- 
selves up,  perhaps  their  lives  would  be  spared. 
The  squaw  and  her  child,  a  beautiful  girl,  went 
straight  to  Major  Xorth,  and  raising  her  hands 
in.  token  of  submission,  drew  them  gently  over 


INDIAN  COSTUMES. 


vicinity  of  their  camp,  a  mile  or  more  away. 
There  was  no  time  for  delay.  The  troops  and 
scouts  charged  down  upon  them  with  all  their 
speed.  The  scouts,  as  usual,  set  up  their  infernal 
war-whoop,  and  went  in  with  a  rush.  The  In- 
dians were  wholly  unprepared  for  the  attack,  and 
some  of  them  were  quietly  lounging  in  their 
tents.  In  fact  it  was  nearly  a  complete  surprise. 
They  were  all  under  the  lead  of  Tall  Bull,  a  noted 
Cheyenne  chief  and  warrior,  and  numbered  about 
five  hundred  men,  women  and  children — nearly 
or  quite  two  hundred  being  warriors.  Seventeen 
squaws  and  children  were  taken  prisoners,  and 
as  near  as  could  be  estimated,  one  hundred  and 
sixty  warriors  were  slain,  among  them  Tall  Bull, 


his  face  and  down  his  form  to  the  ground,  where 
she  sank  upon  her  knees,  her  child  standing  be- 
side her.  While  Major  North  can  talk  Pawnee 
like  a  native,  he  could  not  understand  what  she 
said,  but  as  all  Indians  use  sign  language  to  a 
great  extent,  he  readily  interpreted  her  motions 
to  mean  that  she  surrendered,  and  wanted  him  to 
spare  their  lives.  He  motioned  her  to  rise,  which 
she  did,  and  told  her  by  signs  to  go  a  little  way, 
sit  down  and  stay  there,  and  she  would  not  be 
harmed.  She  then,  by  signs,  indicated  that 
there  were  seven  living  braves  still  in  the 
"pocket,"  and  asked  him  to  go  in  after  them, 
doubtless  thinking  that  her  husband  might  be 
saved  with  herself.  He  declined  this  request, 


51 


especially  as  the  Indians  were  shooting  every  one 
they  could  see  from  their  concealed  position,  it 
being  simply  a  question  of  life  for  life,  and  fur- 
ther told  her  that  the  braves  in  the  ravine  would 
all  be  killed.  The  troops  and  scouts  staid 
around  this  "  pocket,"  until  satisfied  that  there 
were  no  living  Indians  there,  and,  on  entering, 
found  sixteen  dead  warriors  and  one  dead  squaw, 
lying  close  together,  among  whom  was  Tall  Bull. 
In  their  raids  in  the  Solomon  Valley,  they  had 
captured  two  white  women,  whose  lives  they  had 
spared  for  purposes  worse  than  death,  and  at  the 
time  this  attack  was  made,  they  were  still  alive. 
One  of  them  had  been  taken  by  the  principal 
Sioux  chief,  and  the  other  was  appropriated  by 
Tall  Bull,  whose  wife,  doubtless  from  motives  of 
ignorant  jealousy,  was  accustomed  to  give  her 
severe  whippings,  at  least  six  days  out  of  every 
seven,  and  her  body  showed  the  marks  where  she 
had  been  repeatedly  bruised  and  lacerated  by 
Tall  Bull's  squaw.  The  white  woman  who  was 
appropriated  by  the  Sioux  chief,  when  he  found 
she  was  likely  to  be  rescued,  was  shot  dead  by 
him,  and  only  gasped  for  breath  a  few  times  af- 
ter being  found  by  some  of  the  officers,  unable  to 


PAWNEE  CHIEF  IN  FULL  DRESS. 


utter  a  word.  As  near  as  could  be  learned,  her 
name  was  Susanna.  It  was  afterwards  ascer- 
tained that  she  was  a  Norwegian  woman,  and 
General  Carr,  in  his  report  of  the  battle,  calls  the 
Springs,  Susanna  Springs,  after  this  woman,  and 
near  which  she  was  decently  buried,  and  which 
name  they  ought  to  bear  now. 

When  the  charge  was  first  begun,  Captain 
Gushing  of  the  scouts,  passing  by  the  lodge  of 
Tall  Bull,  entered  it.  The  chief,  as  before 
stated,  had  fled  with  his  wife  and  child  at  the 
first  approach  of  danger,  but  in  his  lodge  there 
remained  the  other  captive  woman,  whom  he 
had  shot  and  evidently  left  for  dead.  She  was 
a  German  woman,  unable  to  speak  English,  and 
up  to  this  time,  had  supposed,  from  the  presence 
of  the  scouts,  that  the  fight  was  between  Indians, 
and  that  whatever  the  result,  there  would  be  no 
change  for  the  better  so  far  as  she  was  concerned. 
As  the  captain  entered  the  lodge,  he  saw  this 
woman  in  a  sitting  posture,  nearly  denuded,  with 
the  blood  running  down  her  waist.  When  the 
chief  left  the  tent,  he  had  shot  her  in  the  side, 
aiming  at  her  heart,  but  the  bullet  struck  a  rib, 
glanced,  passed  part  way  around  her  body,  and 
came  out  near  the  spine.  As  the  fight  had  just 
commenced,  Captain  Cushing  told  her  by  motions 
and  as  best  he  could,  to  stay  there  and  she  would 
be  taken  care  of,  but  not  comprehending  his 
meaning,  and  now,  for  the  first  time,  realizing 
that  white  men  were  engaged  in  the  battle,  she 
thought,  as  he  started  to  go,  that  she  was  to  be 
left,  and  with  the  most  pitiful  moan  ever  uttered 
by  human  lips,  she  lifted  her  arms,  clasped  him 
around  his  limbs,  and  in  every  possible  way, 
begged  him  not  to  leave  her  with  the  savages. 
Others  passing  by,  he  called  them  in,  and  the 
woman  was  partially  made  to  understand  that 
she  would  be  cared  for.  lie  disengaged  himself 
from  her  embrace,  and  after  the  fight  had  ended, 
returned  and  took  her  to  the  surgeon,  who  saw 
that  her  wounds  were  not  fatal,  that  they  were 
properly  dressed,  and  provided  for  her  as  best  he 
could  on  the  return  march  to  Fort  Sedgwick,  op- 
posite where  Julesburg  now  stands,  where  she 
was  placed  in  the  hospital  and  soon  recovered. 
A  few  months  later,  having  no  home  or  friends 
where  she  was  taken  captive,  she  was  married  to 
a  soldier,  who  was  discharged  by  reason  of  expi- 
ration of  service.  The  troops  and  scouts  cap- 
tured in  this  fight,  nearly  six  hundred  head  of 
horses  and  mules,  all  the  tents  of  the  two  tribes, 
an  immense  quantity  of  buffalo  meat  and  robes, 
fifty  guns  of  various  kinds,  with  pistols,  fancy 
Indian  head-dresses,  trinkets,  etc.,  and  $  1,900  in 
twenty-dollar  gold  pieces,  which  the  Indians  had 
taken  from  this  German  woman's  father  at  the 
time  she  was  captured.  About  $000  of  this  gold 
was  restored  to  the  woman,  and  if  the  white  sol- 
diers had  been  as  honest  and  generous  as  the 
brave  Pawnee  scouts,  when  the  appeal  for  its 
restoration  was  made,  every  lost  dollar  would 


52 


have  been  returned. 
gave  up  over 


Of  the  $900,  the  scouts 
The  seventeen  prisoners 

taken,  included  Tall  Bull's  wife  and  child. 
They  were  first  carried  to  Fort  Sedgwick,  then 
sent  to  Omaha,  where  they  were  kept  under 
guard  for  about  six  weeks,  and  then  sent  to  the 
Whetstone  Agency,  on  the  Missouri  lliver  above 
Yankton.  The  widowed  squaw  married  a  Sioux 
Indian  at  the  Red  Cloud  Agency,  where  she  is 
now  living. 

Prairie  Dogs.  —  The  little  villages  of  prairie 
dogs  which  are  seen  frequently  by  passengers 
from  the  car  windows,  soon  after  leaving  Sidney, 
and  line  the  track  for  many  miles,  are  full  of 
curious  features  of  animal  life.  Ladies  clap 
their  hands,  and  children  shout  with  glee  at 
sight  of  these  cunning  little  creatures.  It  is  a 
pretty  little  animal,  curious  in  shape,  always 
fat,  grayish  red  color,  about  sixteen  inches  in 
length,  and  always  lives  with  a  multitude  of  its 
companions  in  villages.  It  has  a  short,  yelp- 
ing sound,  which  it  is  very  fond  of  uttering,  and 
has  some  resemblance  to  the  bark  of  a  young 
puppy.  The  curious  mounds  or  burrows  are  of 
considerable  dimensions,  dug  in  a  sloping  direc- 
tion at  an  angle  of  forty-five  degrees  with  the 
surface  of  the  ground.  After  descending  two  or 
three  yards  they  make  a  sudden  turn  upward, 
and  terminate  in  a  spacious  chamber. 

In  the  same  hole  with  the  prairie  dog  is  found 
frequently  the  burroiving  owl,  and  often  upon  the 
summits  of  their  little  burrows  may  be  seen  the 
solemn  owl  on  one  side  of  the  hole  in  stately 
silence  ;  while  on  the  other  side  is  the  lively 
little  prairie  dog,  squatted  on  the  fattest  part 
with  head  bobbed  up,  and  fore  paws  hanging 
down,  ready  at  the  slightest  noise  to  dart  head- 
first into  his  hole.  In  some  of  these  holes  rattle- 
snakes have  been  found.  What  harmony  or 
congruity  there  can  be  in  the  lives  of  these  three 
diverse  species  of  creatures  to  help  form  a  happy 
family,  no  one  can  give  the  reason,  but  all  ac- 
counts seem  to  agree  that  the  stately  owl  and  the 
treacherous  snake  make  their  home  with  the 
little  dogs,  to  abuse  the  hospitality  of  their  four- 
footed  friends  by  devouring  their  young. 

The  scene  presented  by  one  of  these  dog  vil- 
lages is  very  curious.  The  prairie  dog  is  no  less 
inquisitive  than  timid.  On  the  approach  of  an 
intruder,  the  little  creature  gives  a  sharp  yelp  of 
alarm,  and  dives  into  its  burrow,  its  example 
being  at  once  followed  by  all  its  neighbors.  For 
an  instant  the  village  appears  to  be  deserted  ; 
but  soon  their  curiosity  gets  the  better  of  their 
prudence,  and  their  inquisitive  little  noses  are 
seen  protruding  from  their  burrows,  to  ascertain 
the  cause  of  the  alarm,  a  ciiriosity  which  often 
costs  them  dear.  The  prairie  dog  is  remarkably 
tenacious  of  life,  and  unless  shot  in  the  head  is 
sure  to  escape  into  its  hole.  The  writer  has 
often  seen  attempts  to  shoot  them  from  the  train 
as  it  passes.  Away  scampers  the  little  dog, 


stomach  so  full  that  it  touches  the  ground,  while 
little  feet  pulled  for  dear  life  for  its  own  hole, 
and  by  its  side  or  under  it  traveled  the  livelier 
bullet,  each  tearing  up  a  stream  of  dust  quicker 
than  the  eye  can  follow.  Attempts  have  been 
made  to  tame  them  as  pets,  but  they  rarely  ever 
live  long,  and  have  too  apt  a  way  of  biting  off 
fingers.  They  live  only  on  the  roots  of  grasses, 
not  being  flesh  eaters. 

Burton,  an  early  traveler  across  the  continent 
in  1861,  was  immensely  interested  in  his  exami- 
nation of  a  prairie  dog  village.  The  Indians  call 
them  "  Wisk-ton-wish"  from  some  slight  resem- 
blance to  this  cry. 

"  Wish-ton-wish  "'  was  at  home,  sitting  posted 
like  a  sentinel  upon  the  roof,  and  sunning  him- 
self in  the  mid-day  glow.  It  is  not  easy  to  shoot 
him ;  he  is  out  of  doors  all  day,  but  timid  and 
alert ;  at  the  least  suspicion  of  danger  he  plunges 
with  a  jerking  of  the  tail,  and  a  somersault 
quicker  than  a  shy  young  rabbit,  into  the  nearest 
hole,  peeping  from  the  ground,  and  keeping  up  a 
feeble  little  cry,  (wish-ton-wish  !)  more  like  the 
notes  of  a  bird  than  a  bark.  If  not  killed  out- 
right, he  will  manage  to  wiggle  into  his  home. 
The  villages  are  generally  on  the  brow  of  a  hill, 
near  a  creek  or  pond,  thus  securing  water  with- 
out danger  of  drowning.  The  holes,  which  de- 
scend in -a  spiral  form,  must  be  deep,  and  are 
connected  by  long  galleries,  with  sharp  angles, 
ascents  and  descents,  to  puzzle  the  pursuer.  Lieu- 
tenant Pike  had  140  kettles  of  water  poured 
into  one  without  dislodging  the  occupant.  The 
precincts  of  each  village  are  always  cleared  of 
grass,  upon  which  the  animals  live,  as  they  rarely 
venture  half  a  mile  from  home.  In  the  winter 
time  they  stop  the  mouth  of  their  burrows,  and 
construct  a  deeper  cell,  where  they  live  till  spring 
appears. 

The  Indians  and  trappers  eat  the  flesh,  declar- 
ing it  to  be  fatter  and  better  than  that  of  the 
squirrel.  If  the  meat  is  exposed  for  a  night  or 
two  to  the  frost,  all  rankness  will  be  corrected. 
In  the  same  hole  are  found  rattlesnakes,  the 
white  burrowing  owl,  tortoises  and  horned  frogs, 
the  owl  often  gratifying  his  appetite  by  break- 
ing open  the  skull  of  a  young  dog,  with  a  smart 
stroke  of  his  beak." 

Ilifft  the  Cattle  King  of  the  Plains, 

Has  a  range  150  miles  long,  a  herd  of  26,000 
head,  and  is  called  the  Great  Cattle  King  of  the 
plains,  and  has  the  "  boss  ranche  "  of  this  western 
country.  This  ranche  is  in  northern  Colorado.  It 
begins  at  Julesburg,  on  the  Union  Pacific  Rail- 
road, and  extends  to  Greeley,  156  miles  west.  Its 
southern  boundary  is  the  South  Platte  River;  its 
northern,  the  divide,  rocky  and  bluffy,  just  south 
of  the  Lodge  Pole  Creek.  It  has  nearly  the  shape 
of  a  right-angled  triangle,  the  right  angle  being 
at  Greeley,  the  base  line  being  the  South  Platte 
River.  The  streams  flowing  through  it  are,  first, 


54 


the  river  just  named,  Crow  Creek,  and  other 
small  creeks  and  streams  which  take  their  rise 
in  living  springs,  in  and  near  the  bluffs  of  the 
divide  mentioned,  and  flow  in  a  southerly  direc- 
tion into  the  South  Platte  River.  It  includes 
bottom  and  upland  ranges,  and  has  several 
camps  or  ranches.  The  chief  ranche  is  nearly 
south  of  Sidney,  and  about  forty  miles  from  Jules- 
burg.  At  this  ranche  there  are  houses,  sheds,  sta- 
bles, and  corrals,  and  more  than  two  sections  of 
land  fenced  in.  All  the  cattle  bought  by  Mr. 
Iliff  are  rebranded  and  turned  over  to  him  at  this 
place.  Here  are  his  private  stock  yards,  with 
corrals,  chutes,  pens  and  all  necessary  conveni- 
ences for  handling  cattle.  It  is  near  the  river, 
and  of  course  has  fine  watering  facilities,  while 
from  the  adjoining  bottom  lands  plenty  of  hay 
may  be  cut  for  the  use  of  the  horses  employed  in 
herding.  He  cuts  110  hay  for  his  cattle;  they 
live  the  entire  year  on  the  rich  native  grasses  on 
his  range,  and  with  the  exception  of  a  severe 
winter,  now  and  then,  the  percentage  of  loss  is 
not  very  great. 

Mr.  Iliff  is  a  thorough  cattle  man,  and  from 
his  long  experience  has  a  perfect  knowledge  of 
the  business.  He  began  in  1860,  and  during  the 
war  had  government  contracts  to  fill,  in  Xew 
Mexico  and  other  frontier  territories.  He  sup- 
plied most  of  the  beef  to  the  contractors  who 
built  the  Union  Pacific  Railroad,  and  brought 
immense  herds  of  cattle  from  Texas  and  the 
Indian  Territory  which  were  driven  along  the 
line  of  the  road  to  supply  the  army  of  laborers 
with  beef.  He  has  been  engaged  in  the  stock 
business  in  Kansas,  New  Mexico,  and  now  in 
Colorado,  and  thinks  his  present  location  is  ad- 
mirably adapted  to  it,  if  the  sheep  men  will  only 
keep  out.  Cattle  and  sheep  will  not  do  well  on 
the  same  range  together.  Success  in  either 
requires  separation.  Mr.  Iliff  has  purchased 
and  now  owns  more  than  twenty  thousand  acres 
of  the  range  he  occupies,  which,  of  course,  in- 
cludes the  choice  springs  and  watering  places 
within  its  limits,  and  will,  undoubtedly,  purchase 
more  land  as  soon  as  it  comes  into  market. 

He  now  has  more  than  40,000  head  of  cattl", 
of  all  ages,  sizes  and  conditions.  The  number 
of  calves  branded  on  his  ranche,  last  year, 
reached  nearly  5,000  head,  and  his  sales  of  three 
and  four-vear-old  steers  and  fat  cows,  last  sea- 
son, reached  nearly  the  same  number.  He 
realized  about  $32  per  head,  net,  on  these  sales. 
At  this  rate,  4,000  head  would  bring  him  the 
snug  little  sum  of  .1128,000.  To  take  care  of 
this  immense  herd,  he  employs  from  twelve  to 
thirty-five  men — very  few,  usually,  in  the  winter 
months,  and  the  largest  number  during  the 
"round  ups "  in  the  spring.  During  the  ship- 
ping season  of  1875,  he  had  twenty-four  men 
who  were  employed  in  cutting  out  of  his  herd 
the  four-year-old  steers  that  were  ready  for 
market,  some  fat  three-year-olds,  and  such  fat 


cows  as  were  no  longer  fit  for  breeding  purposes. 
While  engaged  in  this  work,  the  same  men 
gather  the  cows  with  unbranded  calves,  which 
they  put  into  the  corrals  near  by,  and  after  the 
calves  are  branded  they  are  turned  loose  with  the 
herd  again.  By  the  introduction  of  thorough- 
bred Durham  bulls,  his  herd  is  rapidly  being 
graded  up.  In  addition  to  the  cattle  raised  on 
his  ranche,  he  deals  largely  in  Texas  and  Indian 
cattle,  and  last  season  advertised  for  20,000  head 
of  Texas  cattle  to  be  delivered  on  his  ranche 
during  the  driving  months  of  1876.  These  cat- 
tle must  be  yearlings,  two  and  three-year-old 
steers,  and  for  them  he  expects  to  pay  $7,  $11 
and  $  15  per  head,  respectively.  This  is,  at  least, 
10  per  cent,  advance  on  the  prices  paid  for  the 
same  kind  of  cattle  in  1875,  and  indicates  their 
growing  scarcity  in  Texas.  If  he  does  not  ob- 
tain this  number  from  Texas,  he  will  supply  the 
deficiency  with  Oregon  and  Montana  cattle, 
which  are  now  beginning  to  come  East. 

Mr.  Iliff  estimates  the  increase  of  cattle  from 
his  home  herd — outside  of  purchases  and  sales — 
to  be  about  70  per  cent,  per  year,  and  about 
equally  divided  as  to  gender.  He  does  not  sepa- 
rate his  bulls  from  the  herd,  but  allows  them  to 
remain  with  it  the  entire  year.  In  this  part  of 
his  management,  we  believe  he  makes  a  mistake, 
as  the  percentage  of  increase  would  be  much 
larger  if  no  calves  were  born  during  the  severe 
winter  and  spring  months  of  each  year.  The 
loss  in  calves  at  these  times  must  be  very  great. 
The  shipping  points  for  his  ranche  are  at  Pine 
Bluffs  and  Julesburg,  on  the  Union  Pacific,  and 
at  Deers'  Trail  on  the  Kansas  Pacific.  The 
most  of  his  cattle,  however,  are  shipped  over  the 
first-mentioned  road. 

Lest  any  one  should  come  to  the  conclusion 
that  this  business  is  all  profit,  and  that  the  ex- 
penses and  losses  do  not  amount  to  much,  let  us 
further  state  that  Mr.  Iliff's  policy  is  to  keep  his 
expenses  as  low  as  possible,  having  the  keeping 
and  safety  of  his  cattle  constantly  in  view.  In 
1875,  the  expenses  of  herding,  cutting  hay  for 
horses,  etc.,  amounted  to  less  than  $15,000.  But 
the  losses  from  thefts  and  death,  some  years,  are 
frightful.  The  winter  of  1871-2  was  very 
severe.  There  were  deep  snows  over  his  range 
that  remained  on  the  ground  a  long  time,  and 
the  storms  were  incessant.  In  the  midst  of  these 
storms,  Mr.  Tliff  visited  the  ranche,  and  found  his 
cattle  literally  dying  by  thousands.  On  the 
islands  in  South  Platte  River,  he  found  and 
drove  off  into  the  sand-hills  and  bluffs,  on  the 
south  side,  after  great  exertion,  some  2,700  head, 
and  of  this  number  less  than  half  were  recovered. 
Their  bleaching  bones  now  whiten  the  plains  in 
the  vicinity  where  they  were  frozen  and  starved 
to  death,  and  those  finally  recovered  were  found 
in  two  different  States  and  four  different  Terri- 
tories in  the  Union.  More  than  $20.000  were 
expended  in  efforts  to  find  them ;  nor  was  this 


55 


all.  It  was  impossible  to  tell,  for  a  number  of 
years,  how  great  the  loss  had  been.  His  books 
showed  more  than  5,000  head  unaccounted  for. 
No  trace  of  tinm,  beyond  skeletons,  could  be 
found.  At  last,  in  the  spring  of  1874,  this  num- 
ber was  charged  to  profit  and  loss  account,  and 
the  books  balanced  for  a  new  start.  Could  they 
have  been  sold  the  fall  previous,  they  would 
have  averaged  at  least  $18  per  head,  and  at  this 
rate  would  have  amounted  to  $90,000. 

It  will  thus  ba  seen  that  the  cattle  business  is 
not  all  profit ;  that  it  is  liable  to  losses  the  same 
as  any  other  busi 
ness.     Taking 
the  years  togeth- 
er, with  ordinary 

care    and    judg-  jlJ  E^'  ~^/^, 

nrint,  the  busi- 
ness will  pay 
large  profits  and 
prove  a  desirable 
investment.  We 
would  not,  how- 
ever, advise 
every  man  to 
undertake  it.  It 
is  a  business 
that  must  be 
learned,  and  to 
succeed  in  it 
men  must  have 
exparience,  cap- 
ital, and  a  good 
range.  Mr.  Iliff 
has  all  of  these, 
and  hence  is 
meeting  with 
corresponding 
s  u  c  ce  s  s .  The 
26,000  head  he 
now  has,  he 
thinks,  on  an  av- 
erage, are  worth 
$18  per  head. 
This  rate  would 
place  th3  capital 
hs  has  invested 
in  cattle  at  the 
sum  of  $  1:68,000. 
In  addition  to 
this  he  has  160 
head  of  horses 

and  mules,  worth  at  least  $10,000,  which  are  used, 
principally,  in  herding,  together  with  wagons, 
horses,  fences,  corrals,  sheds,  stables,  mowing- 
machines,  tools  and  implements,  and  the  large 
track  of  land  before  mentioned.  Half  a  mil- 
lion dollars  is  a  low  estimate  to  name  as  the  sum 
he  has  invested  in  this  business,  and  yet  from  its 
very  nature  he  is  liable  to  lose  half  of  it  in  the 
next  year.  Like  other  business  ventures,  if  a 
man  goes  into  it,  of  course  he  takes  the  chances, 


but  with  care  and  good  management  we  see  no 
reason  why  he  should  not,  in  nine  cases  out  of 
ten,  win  every  time.  Let  the  facts  speak  for 
themselves.  Ordinary  men  can't  raise  a  half 
million  dollars,  every  day,  for  such  an  invest- 
ment, and  if  they  could  command  that  amount, 
very  few  would  desire  a  stock  ranche  and  the 
cattle  business. 

Hull  whackers. —  A  curious  character  of  over- 
land life,  when  the  plains  were  covered  with 
teams,  and  long  trains  of  freight-wagons,  was  the 
bullwhacker.  He  is  in  size  and  shape  usually  of 
^=_ ^ very  large  pro- 

portions ;  very 
strong,  long,  un- 
kempt hair,  and 
face  covered 
with  the  stiff  est 
of  beards.  Eight 
or  ten  yoke  of 
oxen  were  usu- 
ally attached  to 
each  wagon,  and 
often  two  wag- 
ons were  doubled 
up;  i.  e.,  the 
tongue  of  the 
second  wagon 
passed  under  the 
body  of  the  wag- 
on just  before  it, 
and  then  secure- 
ly fastened.  By 
the  side  of  his 
wagon  hang  his 
trusty  axe  and 
ready  rifle,  and 
on  the  tops  of  the 
wagons  were 
spread  the  red 
blankets  used 
for  their  cover  at 
night.  Of  the 
bullwhacker,  it 
is  said  that  his 
natlt  and  his  whip 
are  both  the 
longest  ever 
known.  The 
h  a  n  d  le  of  the 
ordinary  whip  is 

THE  BULLWHACKER  OF  THE  PLAINS.  not  more  than 

three  feet  in  length,  but  the  lash,  which  is  of 
braided  rawhide,  is  seldom  less  than  twenty  feet 
long.  From  the  wooden  handle,  the  lash  swells 
gradually/ out  for  about  six  feet,  where  it  is  nearly 
ten  inches  in  circumference  (the  point  called  the 
"  belly  ");  from  here  it  tapers  to  within  a  foot  of 
the  end,  which  terminates  in  the  form  of  a  rib- 
bon-shaped thong.  This  is  called  by  some  face- 
tiously a  "persuader,"  and  under  its  influence  it 
will  make  the  ox-team  progress  at  the  magic 


fflBT 


50 


rate  of  twenty  miles  per  day.  The  effect  on  a 
refractory  ox  is  quite  forcible.  The  lazy  ox  occa- 
sionally receives  a  reminder  in  the  shape  of  a 
whack  in  the  flank,  that  causes  him  to  double  up 
as  if  seared  with  a  red-hot  iron. 

The  bullwhacker  is  universally  regarded  as  the 
champion  swearer  of  America.  He  is  more  pro- 
fane than  the  mate  of  a  Mississippi  River  packet, 
and  his  own  word  is  good  to  the  effect  that  he 
"  kin  drink  more  whisky."  The  writer  who  heard 
this,  says  that  "  accompanying  this  statement 
were  some  of  the  most  astoundimj  oaths  that  ever  fM 
on  the  ear." 

General  Sherman  humorously  tells  a  story  in 
defence  of  the  extremely  profane  mule-driver 
who  kept  his  trains  so  well  closed  up  during  the 
long  marches  of  the  army  under  his  command.  It 
is  to  this  effect :  "  One  of  the  members  of  a 
freighting  firm  in  St.  Louis  desired  to  discourage 
the  continual  blasphemy  of  the  bullwhackers  in 
their  employ.  Orders  were  accordingly  issued 
to  their  train-masters  to  discharge  any  man  that 
should  curse  the  cattle.  The  wagon-masters  were 
selected  more  for  their  piety  than  for  any  exten- 
sive knowledge  of  their  duties  in  the  handling  of 
trains.  The  outfit  had  not  proceeded  more  than 
a  hundred  and  fifty  miles,  before  it  was  stuck 
fast.  A  messenger  was  dispatched  to  the  firm 
with  the  information  that  the  cattle  would  not 
pull  a  pound  unless  they  were  cursed  as  uxual. 
Permission  to  do  this  was  requested  and  granted, 
after  which  the  train  proceeded  to  Salt  Lake,  to 
which  place  good  time  was  made." 

The  bullwhacker  is  astonishingly  accurate  with 
his  lash.  One  of  his  favorite  pastimes  is  to  cut  a 
coin  from  the  top  of  a  stick  stuck  loosely  into  the 
earth.  If  the  coin  is  knocked  off  without  dis- 
turbing the  stake,  it  is  his;  if  the  stake  is  dis- 
turbed, the  thrower  loses  the  value  of  the  coin. 
A  curious  incident  is  told  of  a  bullwhacker,  not- 
ed for  the  accuracy  with  which  he  throws  his 
lash.  He  bet  a  comrade  a  pint  of  whisky  that 
he  could  cut  the  cloth  on  the  back  of  his  panta- 
loons without  touching  the  skin  beneath.  The 
bet  was  accepted.  The  individual  put  himself 
in  position,  stooping  over  to  give  fair  chance. 
The  blow  was  delivered  carefully  but  in  earnest, 
and  thereon  ensued  the  tallest  jump  ever  put  on 
record.  The  owner  being  minus  a  portion  of  his 
skin,  as  well  as  a  large  fragment  of  his  breeches, 
and  the  bullwhacker's  sorrowful  cry,  "  Thunder, 
I've  lost  the  whisky." 

Chappett, — 387.4  miles  from  Omaha.  Eleva- 
tion 3,702  feet.  It  is  a  side  track  with  section- 
house  near  by.  Trains  meet  and  pass  here,  but 
passenger  trains  do  not  stop  unless  signaled. 

Lodge  Pole— has  an  elevation  of  3,800  feet, 
and  is  396.5  miles  west  of  Omaha.  The  creek 
from  which  this  station  is  named,  rises  in  the 
Black  Hills  of  Wyoming,  west  of  Cheyenne,  and 
is  fed  by  springs  and  numerous  small  streams 
near  its  source.  It  generally  has  water  in  its 


channel  the  entire  year.  In  occasional  places  it 
sinks  into  the  sand,  runs  a  distance  under-ground, 
and  then  reappears  on  the  surface  again.  The 
valley  of  the  Lodge  Pole  is  quite  narrow — the 
bluffs  on  either  side  at  times  approaching  near 
the  track.  The  whole  region  of  country  upon 
which  we  have  now  entered,  is  covered  with 
buffalo  grass,  and  affords  both  winter  and  sum- 
mer grazing  for  immense  herds  of  cattle  and 
flocks  of  sheep.  Stockmen  claim  that  both  cattle 
and  sheep  will  do  better  in  this  region  than  far- 
ther east,  for  the  reason  that  the  native  grasses 
are  more  nutritious,  and  that  there  is  less  snow 
in  the  winter. 

Cotton, — 406.5  miles  from  Omaha,  and  4,022 
feet  above  the  sea.  It  is  simply  a  side  track, 
named  in  honor  of  Francis  Colton  of  Galesburg, 
111.,  and  formerly  general  ticket  agent  of  the 
road. 

Sidney — is  414.2  miles  from  the  Missouri 
River,  and  4,073  feet  above  the  sea.  It  is  the 
end  of  a  sub-division  of  the  road,  and  has  a 
roundhouse  and  machinery  adequate  for  making 
minor  repairs.  The  railroad  reached  and  passed 
here  in  August  1867.  The  rocky  bluffs  which 
jut  up  close  to  the  town,  were  quarried  by  the 
railroad  men,  and  stone  obtained  for  various  con- 
struction purposes.  It  is  now  a  regular  eating- 
station,  where  all  passenger  trains  stop  for  break- 
fast and  supper.  The  railroad  hotel  is  kept  by 
J.  B.  Rumsey,  and  passengers  may  be  assured  of 
good  meals,  with  plenty  of  time  to  eat,  as  the 
train  stops  thirty  minutes.  Sidney  is  the  county- 
seat  of  Cheyenne  County,  Neb.  The  military 
post  here  known  as  Sidney  Barracks,  was  laid 
out  in  1867,  and  built  in  January,  1868,  by 
Colonel  Porter.  The  town  has  several  stores, 
hotels,  saloons  and  general  outfitting  establish- 
ments. It  is  the  nearest  railroad  point  to  the 
Black  Hills,  it  being  only  185  miles  by  actual 
measurement  to  Harney's  Peak,  and  the  adjacent 
gold  fields,  over  an  excellent  wagon  road,  with 
wood  and  water  convenient  of  access.  It  has 
become  a  great  outfitting  depot  for  the  Black 
Hills.  A  daily  stage  line  and  freight  train  now 
run  regularly,  reaching  Custer  City  in  thirty 
hours,  and  Dead  wood  in  forty-eight  hours.  It 
is  the  point  where  large  quantities  of  military 
and  Indian  supplies  are  shipped  to  the  agen- 
cies and  military  posts  adjoining.  It  also  has 
a  weekly  newspaper.  The  Sidney  Telegraph,  which 
is  quite  an  enterprising  sheet.  The  town  still 
has  the  characteristics  of  a  frontier  place,  and 
not  a  small  number  of  roughs  have  died  here 
"with  their  boots  on."  In  December,  1875,  a 
man  was  found  hanging  to  a  telegraph  pole  one 
morning,  who  had  shot  another  in  cold  blood, 
and  without  provocation.  He  was  taken  from 
the  jail  and  jailer  by  masked  men  and  strung  up 
as  aforesaid.  The  town  was  begun  about  the 
time  the  railroad  passed  through.  D.  Carrigan, 
now  probate  judge  of  the  county,  and  James  and 


57 


Charles  Moore  being  the  first  settlers.  James 
Moore  was  the  post  trader  here  for  a  long  time. 
He  is  now  dead.  In  the  time  of  the  Pony  Ex- 
press he  made  the  remarkable  trip  of  280  miles 
in  fourteen  hours  and  three-quarters.  The  town 
has  had  trouble  with  Indians,  and  was  once 
attacked  by  them,  as  related  in  another  place. 
Even  after  the  trains  were  running  regularly,  the 
Indians  would  seek  for  revenge  in  ditching  them 
and  in  killing  all  the  employes  they  could. 
Section-men  always  went  armed,  ready  to  defend 
themselves  in  case  of  attack.  In  April  of  1809, 
the  Indians  attacked  two  section-men  who  had 
gone  to  the  creek  for  water,  and  one  of  them, 
Daniel  Davidson,  was  killed — his  body  being  liter- 
ally filled  with  arrows.  Right  north  of  the  town, 
where  the  traveler  can  see  a  small  column  of 
stones,  was  an  old  fort  or  breastwork,  the  re- 
mains of  which  are  still  visible,  which  was 
used  as  a  place  of  defense  in  case  of  Indian 
raids.  A  bridge  across  the  North  Platte  River, 
on  the  road  to  Spotted  Tail's  Agency,  would 
largely  increase  the  trade  and  importance  of 
the  town.  In  1875,  the  assessed  valuation  of 
Cheyenne  County  was  about  $1,250,000.  There 
are  a  large  number  of  stockmen  in  the  county. 

Beautiful  Cloud  Effects. — Artists  and  all 
travelers,  as  they  get  nearer  and  nearer  to  the 
summit  of  the  Rocky  Mountains,  will  often  have 
fine  opportunities  to  see  some  magnificent  cloud 
effects.  The  most  glorious  sunset  ever  witnessed 
by  the  writer,  was  one  beautiful  evening  in  pass- 
ing down  the  line  of  the  Denver  Pacific  Railroad 
from  Cheyenne.  Long's  Peak,  grand  in  its  sub- 
limity of  snow,  was  surrounded  with  a  collection 
of  clouds,  so  poised  that  the  rays  of  the  setting 
sun  showed  us  each  side  of  them.  On  the  hither 
side  the  fleecy  clouds  were  lighted  up  with  the 
grandest  of  crimson  and  golden  colors ;  in  their 
midst  opened  little  circular  or  oval  windows, 
which,  letting  light  upon  their  upper  portions, 
seemed  to  be  of  molten  silver ;  while  in  their  depth 
of  deep  azure  blue— more  beautiful  than  we  can  de- 
scribe— there  seemed  to  glow  the  intense  colors 
and  reflections  from  the  bosom  of  a  mountain  lake. 
Every  few  minutes  the  clouds,  at  our  distance  from 
them,  changed  their  position,  and  new  colors, 
forms,  and  rays  came  and  went,  and  when  at  last 
the  sun  itself  dropped  slowly  behind  the  very  point 
of  the  peak,  and  it  shone  out  in  startling  clear- 
ness with  the  grand  display  of  rainbow-colored 
clouds  above ;  the  sight  seemed  like  a  heavenly 
vision.  The  editors  of  the  New  York  and  East- 
ern Editorial  Excursion  Party  of  1875,  who  wit- 
nessed the  scene,  expressed  but  one  sentiment  of 
admiration,  that  it  was  far  the  most  superb 
cloud  and  sunset  scene  ever  witnessed.  Such 
scenes  are  very  frequent,  and  exceedingly  capti- 
vating to  those  who  have  a  true  artist's  eye  and 
appreciation  of  colors  and  effects. 

An  English  traveler  (to  whom  beautiful  sun- 
sets are  unknown)  when  once  traveling  from 


Ogalalla  toward  Laramie,  over  the  plains,  says, 
"  As  we  journeyed,  the  sun  approached  the  hori- 
zon, and  the  sky  and  numerous  clouds  assumed 
columns  of  strange  and  wonderful  beauty.  The 
'  azure  vault '  itself  was  of  all  possible  shades  of 
light  green,  and  also  of  clear  light  blue;  some  of 
the  clouds  were  of  solid  masses  of  the  deepest 
indigo,  while  a  few  were  black,  some  were  pur- 
ple, and  others  faintly  tinged  with  crimson  and 
gold.  Two  days  before,  1  had  witnessed  cloud 
effects  almost  equally  fine.  There  is  no  monot- 
ony in  the  glorious  dawns  or  beautiful  sunsets, 
which  are  the  rule  on  these  elevated  plains,  and 
which  go  far  to  relieve  the  tameness  of  the  land- 
scape. 

"  As  evening  approached,  on  my  journey  to 
Laramie,  and  I  neared  my  destination  on  the 
great  mountain  plains,  I  saw  hovering  over  one 
of  the  snow-capped  peaks,'a  richly  colored  cloud, 
so  curious  in  foim,  and  withal  so  perfect  that  it 
might  well  have  been  considered  a  miraculous 
omen,  in  the  superstitious  days  of  old.  It  -was  a 
most  accurate  representation  of  a  long  waving 
ostrich  plume,  in  varying  tints  of  crimson  and 
purple  and  gold ;  I  gazed  on  it  with  pleasure  and 
wonder  till  it  faded  away." 

Sunset  in  a  Storm. — The  Earl  of  Dunraven, 
in  an  account  of  his  travels,  mentions  with  won- 
der these  extraordinary  sunset  scenes  :  "Just  be- 
fore sundown,  the  gorgeous  flaunting  streamers 
of  bright  yellow  and  red  that  were  suddenly  shot 
out  across  a  lurid  sky  were  most  wonderful  to 
behold.  If  the  vivid  colors  were  transferred  to 
canvas  with  a  quarter  of  their  real  brilliancy, 
the  eye  would  be  distressed  by  the  representa- 
tion, and  the  artist  accused  of  gross  exaggera- 
tion and  of  straining  after  outrageous  effects. 

"  These  stormy  American  sunsets  are  startling, 
barbaric,  even  savage  in  their  brilliancy  of  tone, 
in  their  profusion  of  color,  in  their  great  streaks 
of  red  and  broad  flashes  of  yellow  fire ;  startling, 
but  never  repulsive  to  the  senses,  or  painful 
to  the  eye.  For  a  time  the  light  .«hone  most 
brilliantly  all  over  the  western  hemisphere, 
breaking  through  a  confused  mass  of  dazzling 
purple-edged  clouds,  massed  against  a  glowing, 
burnished  copper  sky,  darting  out  bright  arrows 
through  the  rifts  and  rents,  and  striking  full 
upon  the  mountain  top. 

"  But  not  long  did  this  glorious  effulgence  last. 
The  soul  of  the  evening  soon  passed  away ;  as 
the  sun  sank,  the  colors  fled.  The  mountains 
became  of  a  ghastly,  livid  greenish  color,  and  as 
the  faint  rose  light  paled,  faded  slowly  upward 
and  vanished,  it  really  looked  as  though  the  life 
were  ebbing  away,  and  the  dull  gray  death-hue 
spreading  over  the  face  of  a  dying  man." 

Snnset  Scene  on  Mount  Washburne. — 
The  Earl  of  Dunraven  ascending,  in  the  summer 
of  1874,  the  summit  of  Mt.  Washburne  was  re- 
warded at  sunset  with  a  scene  of  extraordinary 
magnificence,  which  he  relates  as  follows :  "  The 


sun  was  getting  very  low,  and  the  valleys  were 
already  steeped  in  shade.  To  the  east  all  was 
dark,  but  in  the  western  heavens  long  flaming 
streaks  of  yellow  were  flashing  across  a  lowering 
sky.  The  masses  of  black  clouds  were  glowing 
red  with  an  angry  flush.  The  clear  white  light 
of  a  watery  sun  had  changed  into  broad  streaks 
of  flaunting  saffron.  Across  all  the  hemisphere, 
opposed  to  it,  the  setting  orb  was  shaking  out 
the  red  and  yellow  folds  of  its  banners,  challeng- 
ing the  forces  of  the  storm,  which  was  marshal- 
ing ou  the  horizon,  its  cloud  warriors  resplend- 
ent in  burnished  gold. 

"  Tha  sun  sank  behind  a  cloud,  and  I  turned 
away  to  descend ;  but  as  we  went,  the  sun, 
though  invisible  to  us,  broke  through  some  hid- 
d3n  rift  in  the  clouds,  and  shone  out  bright  and 
strong,  splashing  its  horizontal  rays  full  against 
the  opposite  slope,  and  deluging  the  lower  por- 
tions of  th3  valley  with  a  flool  of  intense  cherry- 
colored  lurid  light.  The  hills  reddened  as  if 
beat  upon  by  th i  full  glare  of  a  great  furnace. 
It  was  a  sight  m>>t  glorious  to  see.  The  beauty 
of  it  held  us  anl  forced  us  to  stop.  The  glow 
did  not  gradually  ripen  into  fullness,  but  sud- 
denly, and  in  all  its  intensity,  struck  upon  a 
prominent  ridge,  lighting  up  the  crags  and  cliffs, 
and  even  the  rocks  and  stones,  in  all  their  de- 
tails, and  then  by  degrees  it  extended  and  spread 
on  either  side  over  the  foot-hills,  bringing  out 
the  projecting  slopes  and  shoulders  from  deep 
gloom  into  clear  light,  and  throwing  back  the 
valley  into  blackest  shade.  Every  rock  and 
precipice  seem  id  close  at  hand,  and  shone  and 
glowed  with  such  radiance  that  you  could  trace 
the  very  rents  and  crevices  in  the  cliff  faces,  and 
mark  the  pine  trees  clinging  to  the  sides,  while 
in  comparison  the  deep  recesses  of  the  chasms 
and  canons  seemil  to  extend  for  miles  back  into 
dark  shadow.  As  the  sun  sank,  so  rose  the 
light,  rushing  up.v.ird,  surging  over  the  hills  in 
a  wave  of  crimson  mist,  really  beautiful  to  be- 
hold, anl  illuminating  the  great  bulk  of  the 
range,  while  the  peaks  were  still  darkly  rearing 
their  sullen  heads  above  the  tide,  and  the  valleys 
w;re  all  filled  with  gray  vapors.  At  last  the 
glare  caught  the  mist,  and  in  an  instant  trans- 
form ;d  it  from  gray  cloud  into  a  gauzy,  half- 
transparent  vail,  light,  airy,  delicate  exceed- 
ingly, in  color  like  the  inner  petals  of  the  rose. 
Then,  as  the  sun  dropped  suddenly,  the  light 
flashed  upon  the  summit,  the  peaks  leaped  into 
startling  life,  and  the  darkness  fell." 

Broivnitoft. — Simply  a  side  track.  Elevation 
4,200  feet  above  the  sea.  Distance  from  Omaha, 
423.2  miles.  The  station  was  named  after  a  for- 
mer general  freight  agent  of  the  Union  Pacific. 
From  Sidney,  and  in  this  vicinity,  the  bluffs  are 
rugged,  and  look  like  fortifications,  or  the  old 
castles  that  we  read  about.  They  are  simply 
indications  of  the  grand  scenery  which  is  to 
follow. 


Potter. — 433.1  miles  from  Omaha.  Elevation 
4,370  feet.  It  is  a  telegraph  station.  West  of 
Potter  you  cross  the  bed  of  a  diy  creek,  which 
leads  into  the  Lodge  Pole. 

Jtiennett. — Another  side  track,  at  which  pas- 
senger trains  do  not  stop.  There  is  a  fine  stock 
ranche  near  by,  and  the  grazing  in  this  vicinity 
is  excellent.  The  station  is  named  after  Colonel 
Bennett,  the  efficient  superintendent  of  the  Pull- 
man Palace  Car  Company  at  Omaha.  It  is  442.3 
miles  from  the  eastern  terminus  of  the  road,  with 
an  elevation  of  4,580  feet. 

Attfelope. — 451.3  miles  from  Omaha.  Eleva- 
tion, 4,712  feet.  A  telegraph  and  coal  station, 
with  side  tracks  and  section  house.  In  Novem- 
ber, 1875,  the  Indians,  who  have  a  liking  for 
good  and  fast  horses,  equal  to  that  of  Bonner, 
the  New  York  Ledger  man,  went  to  the  ranche  of 
Mr.  Jones,  a  Kentuckian,  about  twenty  miles 
south  of  this  station,  and  stole  some  forty  head 
of  blooded  horses  and  mares  which  he  had 
there  for  breeding  purposes.  They  are  supposed 
— believed — to  have  gone  north,  and  if  Uncle 
Sam's  Indian  agents  would  withhold  rations  from 
the  tribe  until  they  were  brought  back,  or  make 
a  thorough  search  for  them,  they  could  undoubted- 
ly be  found.  Many  of  the  animals  were  thorough- 
breds, and  very  valuable.  Here  is  another  viola- 
tion of  the  Sioux  treaty.  Mr.  Jones  will  have  to 
pocket  his  loss,  while  Uncle  Sam  will,  of  course, 
pocket  the  insult.  Antelope  is  the  home  of  some 
old  hunters,  and  if  the  traveler  desires  to  hear 
their  experiences,  let  him  stop  a  day  and  inter- 
view Jack  Evans,  who  lias  a  laiuhe  here,  and  Mr. 
Goff,  who  has  been  engaged  in  the  business  some 
fourteen  years. 

Landscape  of  the  Colorado  Plains. — 
There  is  a  charm  in  life  on  the  great  plains.  To 
one  who  visits  it  for  the  first  time,  it  seems 
lonely  indeed,  and  yet  it  is  never  wearisome. 

Now  ocme  great  rolling  uplands  of  enormous 
sweep,  then  boundless  grassy  plains,  and  all 
the  grandeur  of  vast  monotony  and  desolation. 
Sometimes  the  grand  distances  are  broken  by 
rugged  buttes  and  bluffs.  As  they  rise  in  sight, 
the  traveler  is  as  eager  in  his  curiosity  as  the 
sea  voyager  just  catching  his  first  view  of  the  dis- 
tant shore.  Over  all  these  plains  there  is  a 
sparkling,  enthusiasm-giving  atmosphere,  crisp, 
strong,  magnetic,  and  a  never-failing  breeze; 
even  in  the  hottest  days,  or  portions  of  the  day, 
the  air  is  bracing,  and  rarely  ever  is  the  sky  long 
cloudless. 

That  vastness  of  solitude,  boundless  plains, 
and  boundless  sky.  that  stretch  of  blue,  that 
waste  of  brown,  never  a  tree,  river,  bird,  or  ani- 
mal, home  or  life  of  any  nature,  who  can  de- 
scribe the  sensations,  which  are  so  overpowering. 

As  you  approach  the  mountains,  the  Colorado 
plains  assume  more  verdure,  as  they  are  better 
watered  by  the  little  streams  from  the  foot-hills, 
or  bedewed  by  the  mountain  showers.  In  sum- 


59 


mer  time  the  landscape  is  green,  and  the  plains 
covered  with  flowers,  while  in  autumn,  with  the 
yellow  of  the  prairie  grass,  the  flowers  ever  stay, 
new  ones  coming  as  old  ones  disappear.  The 
sunflower  is  the  most  profuse  of  all  the  species  of 
vegetation  that  spring  up  wherever  the  soil  is 
opened.  For  thousands  of  miles,  wherever  the 
railroad  or  a  wagon  route  has  made  its  way 
across  the  country,  there  spring  up  parallel  rows 
of  the  ever-living  sunflower.  In  the  eastern  por- 
tions of  the  plains  of  Nebraska  and  Kansas,  near 
the  Missouri  River,  may  be  seen  square  miles  of 
sunflowers,  7  to  9  feet  high ;  as  we  travel  farther 
west,  they  gradually  dwindle  until  they  are,  in 
Colorado,  only  3  to  9  inchfs  in  height,  the  oddest 
little  plant  in  nature,  yet  perfect  in  shape  and 
growth. 


years  yet  to  come,  to  be  only  the  grazing-field  of 
thousands  of  buffalo  or  herds  of  cattle.  Water 
is  scarce,  irrigation  is  impossible,  rains  uncer- 
tain, and  in  many  parts  the  soil  is  full  of  soda 
and  alkali.  The  western  march  of  settlement 
practically  ends  at  the  one  hundredth  meridian 
of  longitude — North  Platte. 

Coyotes.  —  Pioneers,  Indians  and  drivers, 
unite  in  the  most  thrilling  exclamations  of  their 
detestations  of  this,  the  meanest  of  the  animal 
tribe  that  infest  the  plains.  Just  after  twilight, 
if  you  happen  to  be  encamped  on  the  plains,  you 
will  hear  not  far  off  the  quick  bark  of  a  single 
coyote.  This  is  the  first  call,  the  bugle  cry.  Then 
come  answers,  and  the  pack  of  wolves  assemble 
rapidly,  and  just  as  darkness  closes  down,  you 
have  but  one  enjoyment  left,  to  listen  to  the  most 


Into  this  vast  area  of  plains,  which  reaches 
from  east  to  west  500  miles,  and  north  to  south 
1,000  miles,  there  can  be  poured  nearly  all  the 
population  of  Europe  and  Asia.  Swallowing  up 
by  the  thousands,  the  plains,  with  open  mouth, 
wait  with  insatiate  appetite  for  more.  Into  this 
area  can  be  put  the  whole  of  India.  It  is  twice 
as  large  as  Hindostan,  and  as  large  as  the  whole 
of  the  United  States  east  of  Chicago. 

Agriculture  is  certain  as  far  west  as  the  three 
hundredth  mile  from  the  Missouri  River;  from 
thence  westward,  to  the  immediate  vicinity  of 
the  mountains,  no  crops  can  at  present  be  raised. 
This  reach  of  200  miles  or  more  is,  for  many 


dismal  of  howling  matches.  As  each  new  comer 
arrives  he  is  welcomed  with  a  howl.  Each  howl 
is  short,  and  by  the  band  there  seems  to  be  a 
chosen  few  who  execute  them  in  proper  manner, 
with  all  the  variations.  After  these  few  have 
performed  some  of  their  most  "  striking  airs,"  a 
silence  of  a  few  moments'  duration  follows,  and 
then  the  whole  band  breaks  out  with  the  most  un- 
earthly noises,  which  are  second  to  no  other  noises 
of  plains  and  mountains  Kit  Carson  once  said  of 
these  howls,  "that  it  was  only  a  little  dispute  as 
to  which  coyote  had,  as  the  winner  of  the  match, 
the  right  to  take  the  stakes  (steaks)."  A  trav- 
eler says  of  them :  "  It  is  quite  impossible  to  do 


60 


full  justice  to  this  wolf  music.  There  is  no 
racket  known  to  the  inhabitants  of  the  more 
civilized  sections  of  our  country  which  will  com- 
pare with  it.  All  the  felines  in  the  neighbor- 
hood would  not  make  a  noise  which  would  begin 
to  equal  wolf  music."  Strange  as  it  may  seem, 
the  rough  pioneer  esteems  this  music  his  sweetest 
lullaby,  for  as  one  of  the  old  "  rough  and  readies" 
says  :  "  If  any  redskin  should  take  it  under  his 
scalp  to  look  about  camp,  every  cuss  of  them 
coyotes  would  shut  up  his  trap  and  wake  the  fel- 
lows up  with  the  quiet"  So  long  as  the  coyote 
cries  there  is  no  danger  from  Indians — the 
moment  he  ceases,  danger  is  near — so  the  pioneer 
esteems  their  music  his  best  lullaby,  and  their 
bark  his  safety.  Occasionally  the  pack,  toward 
early  morning,  will  make  a  raid  into  the 
traveler's  camp,  and  grab  any  edibles  or  pieces 
left  within  reach;  even  sometimes  seizing  the 
very  haversack  upon  which  the  sleeper's  head 
is  pillowed,  but  seldom  ever  touching  the  per- 
sons of  the  campers.  As  morning  approaches, 
they  retire  to  a  safe  distance  from  camp,  and 
squatted  on  their  haunches  like  dogs,  wait  till 
the  party  leaves. 

The  plains  men  have  an  old  saying,  "  That  the 
coyotes  can  smell  a  Stales  feller,  and  then  you 
will  not  see  a  coyote  anywhere  within  sight  of 
camp."  The  explanation  for  which  is  supposed 
to  be  as  follows,  given  also  by  the  old  plains  men : 
"  States  fellers  shoots  at  any  live  thing  as 
jumps  in  their  sight,  whether  it  is  any  'count  to 
them  or  no." 

Adams.  —  A  side  track  457.3  miles  from 
Omaha;  elevation  4,784  feet.  The  country  here 
is  considerably  broken,  and  between  the  bluffs 
on  either  side  huge  boulders  crop  out. 

Bushnell, —  403.2  miles  from  Omaha,  and 
4,860  feet  above  the  sea.  It  is  simply  a  side 
track  with  water  tank.  In  coming  up  this  val- 
ley the  railroad  crosses  the  Lodge  Pole  Creek,  or 
its  little  branches,  several  times.  Near  Bushnell 
is  a  trestle  bridge  across  the  creek. 

Hailstorms, — This  region  of  country  is  fre- 
quently, in  summer,  visited  with  hailstorms  and 
cloud-bursts.  In  the  summer  of  1875,  a  train  was 
overtaken  by  one  of  these  hailstorms,  and  not  a 
whole  pane  of  glass  was  left  in  the  side  of  the 
cars  toward  the  storm.  The  glass  in  skylights 
on  the  top  of  the  cars  was  broken,  and  many  of 
the  hailstones,  as  large  as  a  man's  fist,  bounded 
through  the  cars  on  the  opposite  side.  The 
wooden  sides  of  the  cars  were  dented,  and  the 
sheet-iron  casing  of  the  engine-boiler  looked  as 
though  it  had  passed  through  a  violent  case  of 
the  small-pox.  When  these  cloud-bursts  occur, 
the  drops  of  rain  seem  as  large  as  walnuts,  and 
come  so  fast  that  the  entire  surface  of  the  ground 
is  covered — the  surplus  water  not  having  time  to 
run  off.  In  such  storms  the  road  is  liable  to 
washouts,  and  great  care  is  necessary  in  the  run- 
ning of  trains  to  avoid  accidents. 


Bushnell  is  the  last  station  in  Nebraska.  Just 
across  the  line,  between  it  and  Wyoming,  comes 

Pine  Bluffs, — 473.2  miles  from  Omaha ;  ele- 
vation 5,026  feet.  The  little  station  takes  its 
name  from  the  stunted  pines  along  the  bluffs. 
Pine  timber  once  was  plenty  here,  but  it  disap- 
peared when  the  road  was  built.  It  is  the  great 
trail  and  crossing  point  for  Indians  passing  from 
the  buffalo  grounds  on  the  Republican  to  Horse 
Creek  and  North  Platte  River.  Was  several 
times  attacked  by  Indians  during  construction  of 
road,  several  were  killed  and  large  amounts  of 
stock  stolen.  It  is  now  the  head-quarters  of 
Judge  Tracy's  cattle  ranche,  and  several  carloads 
of  cattle  are  shipped  each  year.  Muddy  Creek 
is  just  west  of  station,  has  water  most  of  the  time, 
yet  Lodge  Pole  Creek,  beyond  Egbert,  sinks  in 
the  sand.  Water  can  be  found  in  the  bed  of  the 
stream  by  digging  3  to  9  feet.  .This  is  a  telegraph 
station,  with  side  track,  cattle-yards  and  chutes. 

Tracy, — 478.8  miles  from  Omaha ;  elevation 
5,149  feet.  It  is  a  siae  track  named  in  honor 
of  Judge  Tracy  of  Cheyenne. 

Ef/berf, — 484.4  miles  from  Omaha  ;  elevation 
5,272  feet.  It  is  a  side  track  with  water  tank. 
Three  miles  south  of  this  side  track  runs  the 
Muddy,  which  has  quite  a  settlement  of  ranche- 
men.  The  Lodge  Pole  at  this  point  is  still  dry, 
and  the  company  dug  thirty-two  feet  for  the 
water  which  supplies  their  tank.  The  road  here 
leaves  the  main  valley  of  the  Lodge  Pole,  to  the 
right,  and  runs  up  a  branch,  in  which  the  bed  of 
a  creek  is  visible,  but  which  never  has  water  in 
it  except  after  the  cloud-bursts  spoken  of. 

Burns, — 490.7  miles  from  the  Missouri  River, 
with  an  elevation  of  5,428  feet.  The  grade  is 
now  quite  heavy  as  we  are  going  up  on  to  the 
divide  between  the  Lodge  Pole  and  Crow  Creek. 
Burns  is  simply  a  side  track  where  trains  occa- 
sionally meet  and  pass. 

HiUsdale, — a  telegraph  station  with  side 
track  and  section-house.  The  place  takes  its  name 
from  a  Mr.  Hill,  who  was  killed  here  by  the  In- 
dians at  the  time  the  road  was  located.  He 
belonged  to  the  engineer  corps  of  the  road.  The 
company's  well  here,  which  supplies  the  water 
tank,  is  72  feet  deep.  North  and  south  of  this  sta- 
tion numerous  sheep  ranches  have  been  opened. 
By  looking  straight  west,  up  the  track,  you  can 
here  obtain  the  first  glimpse  of  the  Black  Hills 
of  Wyoming — and  they  will  come  into  plain  view 
as  you  ascend  the  heavy  grade  toward  the  divide. 
Hillsdale  is  5,591  feet  above  the  sf  a,  and  496.4 
miles  from  Omaha.  Notice  the  grade  indicated 
by  the  elevations  as  you  pass  these  stations. 

Atkins,— 5Q2.Q  miles  from  Omaha,  and  5,800 
feet  above  the  sea.  It  is  a  side  track,  simply, 
with  water  tank  and  section-house  near  by.  The 
well  which  supplies  this  station  with  water  is 
over  200  feet  deep.  Here  the  traveler  obtains  a 
good  view  of  the  Black  Hills  stretching  off  to  the 
right.  Still  up  the  grade  you  go,  reaching  the 


61 


summit  of  the  divide  in  the  first  snow  shed  on 
the  line  of  the  road  just  beyond 

Archer, — which  is  508  miles  from  the  starting 
place,  with  an  elevation  of  6,000  feet  above  tide- 
water. This  station  is  a  side  track  with  section- 
house  near  by.  A  short  distance  farther,  you 


makes  its  way  through  the  bluffs  off  to  the  left. 
Soon  we  come  to  a  deep  cut  through  the  spur  of 
a  bluff,  passing  which,  we  cross  a  bridge  over  a 
dry  ravine,  and  then  continue  up  the  hill  to  the 
"  Magic  City  "  of  the  plains,  called  Cheyenne. 
Lony's  Jfeak. — Travelers  will  notice,  a  few 


LONG'S  PEAK  FROM  ESTES  PARK. 


enter  the  shed;  it  seems  like  passing  through  a 
tunnel.  In  the  distance  there  are  mountains 
"to  the  right  of  you,"  and  mountains  "to  the 
left  of  you,"  but  we  shall  see  more  of  them  here- 
after. Leaving  the  snow  shed  we  are  now  on  a 
down  grade  into  Crow  Creek  Valley,  which 


hours  before  reaching  Cheyenne,  the  snow-clad 
summit  of  this  bold  peak,  rising  above  the  dis- 
tant horizon.  It  is  about  sixty  miles  south-west 
of  the  Union  Pacific  Railroad,  and  the  highest 
mountain  in  northern  Colorado.  The  view  we 
here  give  is  taken  from  Estes  Park ;  a  beautiful 


62 


little  park  on  its  north-western  slope,  and  about 
twelve  miles  distant  from  the  summit.  This 
park  is  about  four  miles  wide,  and  six  miles  long, 
is  well  sheltered,  easy  of  access,  and  beautifully 
covered  with  pine  and  spruce  trees,  scattered 
easily  about  over  the  grassy  surface,  which  gives 
to  it  a  true  park-like  loveliness.  It  is  partially 
occupied  by  a  few  families  who  have  taken  up 
permanent  homesteads,  and  has  been  for  a  long 
time  an  excellent  pasture  for  large  herds  of  cattle 
which  live  here  the  entire  year.  It  is  also  becom- 
ing quite  a  pleasure  resort,  and  has  many  at- 
tractive features  to  interest  the  health  seeker  and 
tourist.  Excellent  fishing,  in  lovely  little  trout 
streams,  can  be  found  all  over  the  vicinity.  From 
this  valley  is  the  only  practicable  route  for 
ascending  the  peak.  Long's  Peak  is  14,271  feet 
in  elevation,  arid  about  6,300  feet  above  the  park. 
Its  construction  is  of  the  boldest  and  most  de- 
cided character,  with  great  walls,  deep  canons; 
and  on  its  sides  there  are  gorges  and  caverns 
among  the  grandest  on  the  continent.  Its  sum- 
mit is  divided  into  two  sharp  crests,  the  western 
one  being  the  highest  and  most  difficult  of  ascent. 
It  is  a  famous  landmark  for  a  stretch  of  country 
of  more  than  a  hundred  miles  from  north  to 
south. 

Ktiffaloes.  —  Buffalo  hunting  is  a  pastime 
tourists  can  now  have  little  hope  to  indulge  in. 
Few  or  no  buffaloes  ever  appear  within  sight  of 
the  car  windows  of  the  overland  trains,  and  the 
vast  herds  which  once  roamed  for  thousands  of 
mil;s  and  continually  up  and  down  the  great 
plain,  are  passing  away,  or  disappearing  f  emu  their 
old  haunts  to  find  some  nook  or  corner  more 
quiet  and  secure.  Thousands  of  them  have  been 
killed  during  the  past  two  or  three  winters  for 
commercial  purposes.  The  hides  are  stripped 
off  and  sold  for  as  low  prices  as  $1.50,  while  the 
bones  are  gathered  in  heaps  near  the  railroad 
station  and  freighted  eastward  to  be  used  for 
commercial  fertilizers.  In  one  winter  it  is  esti- 
mated that  on  the  lines  of  the  Union  and  Kansas 
Pacific  Kailroad  there  were  killed  over  100,000 
head. 

A  Smart,  Indian  Trade.  —  The  Indians 
which  in  olden  times  used  to  visit  the  military 
posts,  were  noticeable  for  their  great  anxieties  to 
trade,  and  for  their  great  shrewdness,  which  had 
often  the  spice  of  humor. 

At  one  of  the  posts  a  Kiowa  chief  endeavored 
to  consummate  a  bargain  for  an  officer's  wife,  by 
offering  as  an  equivalent  a  large  number  of  fat 
dogs ;  the  number  was  so  large  that  the  Indians 
present  thinking  it  was  impossible  for  the  officer 
to  withstand  so  tempting  an  offer,  made  haste  to 
express  their  willingness  to  help  eat  the  dugs,  if 
there  were  more  than  the  white  man  could  man- 
age for  himself. 

But  it  is  among  the  Indians  themselves  that 
the  sharpest  species  of  trading  is  seen.  In  the 
great  passion  of  tb.3  Indian  for  "  fire-water" — 


whisky — there  comes  out,  in  their  trade  for  it, 
all  the  possible  shrewdness  and  cunning  of  the 
races. 

At  one  time,  as  a  military  officer  relates  the 
story,  there  was  a  Kiowa  village,  beautifully 
located  for  the  winter  near  a  grove  of  old  cotton- 
wood  trees.  The  fact  that  the  village  was  rich 
in  buffalo  robes  and  other  skins  became  known 
to  a  band  of  the  Cheyenne  tribe.  Stealing  would 
not  answer,  as  there  were  too  many  Kiowas  and 
too  few  Cheyennes.  But  the  shrewdness  of  the 
Cheyennes  appeared  soon  in  the  shape  of  a  bottle 
of  whisky ;  how  they  obtained  it  was  a  mystery 
not  explained. 

With  their  whisky,  the  Cheyennes  proceeded 
to  the  Kiowa  village,  exhibited  their  bottles,  and 
distributed  around  a  few  judicious  smells  of  the 
refreshing  corn  juice  ;  every  now  and  then  giving 
the  bottle  a  shake,  so  that  the  aroma  should  be 
thoroughly  appreciated  by  their  Jrienda  the  Kiowas. 
The  smells  were  freely  accepted,  and  there 
was  an  uncommon  desire  manife?ted  to  know  more 
(i.  e.,  get  better  acquainted)  of  the  Cheyennes. 
Pipes  were  produced  and  duly  smoked;  after 
which  the  visitors  announced  their  willingness  to 
trade,  as  they  said 

"  They  had  not  brought  much  whisky,  as  they 
did  not  know  that  their  brothers,  the  Kiowas 
would  like  to  see  it.  The  little  that  they  had 
with  them  was  good  ai:d  very  strong,"  (with 
water)  "  when  the  Kiowas  had  tasted  of  it  (hey 
would  see."  The  Cheyenne  was  liberal,  '-he 
would  give  so  much,"  (holding  up  the  bottle  and 
marking  \\ith  the  thumb  something  like  half  an 
inch  of  the  whisky).  "  But  seeing  that  the 
Kiowas  were  not  in  haste  to  trade,  the  Cheyennes 
would  smoke  with  them."  Meanwhile  a  kindly 
disposed  bottle-holder  was  dispensing  smells  of 
the  whisky  to  a  few  Kiowas,  who  were  loud  in 
their  announcements  of  the  number  of  fine  robes 
which  they  possessed.  This  second  smoke  was 
quickly  finished,  and  the  Cheyenne  again  ex- 
hibited iheflre.irater,  marking  it  as  before  by  the 
location  of  the  thumb  on  the  bottle. 

A  general  exclamation  followed,  for  to  the 
Kiowa's  eye  the  position  of  the  thumb  on  the 
bottle  was  so  very  much  higher  (i.  e.,  so  much 
less  whisky  than  before).  To  this  Cheyenne  had 
no  consideration ;  the  trouble  he  said,  was  with 
the  eyes  of  the  Kiowas,  which  could  not  be  ex- 
pected to  see  big  like  those  of  a  Cheyenne.  Another 
smelling  time  ensued,  which  was  followed  by  an 
instantaneous  exhibition  by  the  Kiowas  of  tin 
cups  and  robes,  and  the  Cheyennes  began  to  pour 
out  the  whisky. 

^  While  pouring  out  the  promised  grog,  the  posi- 
tion of  the  thumb  on  the  bottle  was  regarded  by 
each  Kiowa  with  the  most  exact  scrutiny,  which 
effectually  prevented  all  attempts  to  shove  up  the 
gauge.  And  it  was  noticeable  by  the  care  of 
the  bottle-holders,  that  when  the  bottle  was  held 
up  after  each  pass,  no  Indian  could  detect  the 


slightest  variation  between  the  whisky  mark  and 
the  position  of  the  finger  on  the  bottle. 

The  Kiowas  did  not  get  drunk,  and  the  Chey- 
ennes  left  the  village  with  all  their  ponies  loaded 
with  robes,  having  as  they  freely  remarked,  made 
a  "  heap  smart  trade" 

Astonishment  of  Indians  at  tlie  Loco- 
motive and  Telegraphs. — When  the  first 
locomotive  was  seen  passing  over  the  plains,  an 
Indian  guide  in  the  employ  of  the  United  States, 
exclaimed  with  inexpressible  surprise,  "Good 
Medicine,  yimd  medicine.  Look  look,"  at  the  tu-te 
(toot).  As  he  passed  under  the  telegraph  wires 
which  then  were  stretching  along  the  Platte, 
through  which  the  wind  as  it  swept,  made  the 
whirr  and  singing  sound  of  a  prairie  harp,  this 
guide  heard  the  sound,  and  directly  declared  that 
they  were  talking  "  medicines."  This  was  sup- 
posed to  be  the  creations  of  the  great  spirit,  and 
everything  of  supernatural  nature  was  "medi- 
cine." 

The  Indians  have  rarely  ever  molested  the  tele- 
graph wires  which  spanned  the  continent.  Per- 
haps the  following  incident  may  have  much  to  do 
with  their  respectful  and  distant  attitude  : — 
Shortly  after  the  wires  were  erected,  the  attaches 
of  the  Telegraph  Company  invited  a  number  of 
Indian  chiefs  to  meet  them  at  a  given  point,  and 
from  thence  to  travel,  one  party  East  and  the 
other  AVest. 

When  they  had  reached  a  distance  of  100  miles 
apart,  each  party  was  invited  to  dictate  a  message 
to  the  other,  which  was  sent  over  the  wires. 
Th3ii  turning  backward,  they  rode  rapidly  toward 
each  other,  and  two  days  later  met  and  compared 
notes.  They  were  greatly  astonished,  and  ex- 
pressed themselves  convinced  that  the  "  Great 
Spirit "  had  talked  to  them  with  the.  wires.  They 
decided  from  that  time  it  would  be  well  to  avoid 
meddling  with  the  wires. 

Soon  after  a  little  incident  happened,  which, 
in  the  minds  of  the  Indians,  seemed  to  settle 
forever  the  opinion  that  the  telegraph  belonged 
to  the  Great  Spirit.  A  young  Sioux  Indian  was 
determined  to  show  that  he  had  no  faith  in  the* 
Great  Spirit's  connection  with  the  wires,  so  he 
set  to  work  with  his  hatchet  to  cut  down  one  of 
the  telegraph  poles.  A  severe  thunder-storm  was 
going  on  at  a  distance ;  a  charge  of  electricity 
being  taken  up  by  the  wires,  was  passed  to  the 
pole  which  the  Indian  was  cutting,  and  resulted 
in  his  instant  death.  After  that  the  tribe  never 
molested  the  telegraph  again. 

An  Indian  Prayer. — The  following  actual 
translation  of  an  Indian  prayer  will  give  an  idea 
of  their  feelings  and  longings,  and  the  extent  of 
their  moral  sentiments.  It  is  a  prayer  to  the 
Great  Spirit  by  a  Crow  Indian  : 

"  I  am  poor ;  that  is  bad." 

"  Make  me  a  Chief ;  give  me  plenty  of  horses ; 
give  me  fine  clothing.  I  ask  for  good  spotted 
horses." 


"  Give  me  a  large  tent ;  give  me  a  great  many 
horses ;  let  me  steal  fine  horses ;  grant  it  to  me." 

"  Give  me  guns  by  cheating ;  give  me  a  beauti- 
ful woman ;  bring  the  buffalo  close  by." 

"  No  deep  snow  ;  a  little  snow  is  good." 

"  Give  me  Black  Feet  to  kill  or  to  die ;  close 
by,  all  together." 

"  Stop  the  people  from  dying,  it  is  good." 

"  Give  instruments  for  amusements,  blankets 
too,  and  fine  meats  to  eat." 

"  Give  the  people  altogether  plenty  of  fine  buf- 
falo, and  plenty  to  eat." 

CHEYENNE. 

"Magic  City  of  the  Plains,"— 516  miles 
from  Omaha ;  elevation,  6,041  feet.  Thus  truly 
is  it  named,  for  it  is  at  present  the  most  active 
and  stirring  city  on  the  entire  line.  Travelers 
will  here  take  a  dinner  in  comfortable  style 
at  one  of  the  best  kept  hotels  between  the 
two  oceans.  It  is  a  good  place  to  rest  after  a 
tiresome  journey,  and  it  will  pay  to  stop  a  few 
days  and  enjoy  the  pure  air  and  genial  sun  in 
this  high  altitude.  The  hotel  is  owned  by  the 
railroad  company,  and  is  150  feet  long  by  36 
wide,  with  a  wing  25  feet  square.  It  has  an 
elegant  dining-hall,  around  which  hang  the  heads 
of  antelope,  deer,  elk,  mountain-sheep,  black-tailed 
deer,  buffalo,  etc.,  all  nice! -j  preserved  and  looking 
very  natural.  It  is  two  stories  high,  the  upper 
floor  being  well  furnished  with  sleeping-rooms  for 
guests.  Cheyenne  is  the  capital  of  Wyoming  and 
the  county-seat  of  Laramie  County.  Cheyenne 
has  had  its  ups  and  downs.  Once  very  lively 
when  the  road  was  building,  then  it  fell  dead  and 
motionless.  Now  it  has  arisen  again,  and  is  the 
largest  town  on  the  railroad  between  Omaha  and 
Salt  Lake  City,  having  a  population  of  fully 
4,000,  and  rapidly  growing.  There  are  twb  causes 
for  this  growth.  First,  the  stock  interests  which 
center  here,  and  second,  the  recent  gold  dis- 
coveries in  the  Black  Hills.  Up  to  the  year  1875, 
it  was  the  terminus  of  the  Denver  Pacific  Rail- 
road, and  had  the  advantages  of  a  competing 
line  of  railroad ;  but  since  the  virtual  consolida- 
tion of  the  Kansas  Pacific  and  Union  Pacific 
interests,  it  no  longer  enjoys  these  advantages. 
During  the  last  two  years  there  has  been  a  large 
increase  in  the  permanent  buildings  of  the  city. 
In  1875,  the  Inter-Ocean  hotel  was  completed — a 
fine  brick  structure  three  stories  high,  and  other 
large  and  elegant  brick  blocks  with  iron  and  glass 
fronts.  In  proportion  to  its  population,  Cheyenne 
has  more  elegant  and  substantial  business  houses 
than  most  any  other  western  city.  Its  inflation 
period  has  long  since  passed  away,  and  its  future 
growth,  like  its  present,  will  be  siibstantial  and 
permanent.  The  town  has  a  fine  court-house 
and  jail,  which  cost  f  40,000,  a  large  public  school 
building,  a  good  city  hall,  and  a  brick  opera-house. 
This  is  a  wonderful  change  for  a  place  known  the 


65 


world  over  by  its  fearful  sobriquet  of  "  Hell  on 
Wheels."  Churches  have  come  where  gamblers 
once  reigned ;  and  in  five  years  as  many  edifices 
for  religious  purposes  have  been  erected.  The 
Episcopalians,  Methodists,  Presbyterians,  Congre- 
gationalists  and  Catholics  have  all  comfortable 
church  buildings.  The  school  accommodations, 
owing  to  the  rapid  growth  of  the  city,  will  soon 
have  to  be  enlarged.  At  first  sight  the  traveler 
would  naturally  inquire,  what  there  was  to  build 
and  sustain  a  town  here  ?  The  soil  is  not  prolific, 
nor  is  the  country  around  it.  Crow  Creek  bottom 
is  quite  narrow,  and  in  the  most  favorable  seasons, 
by  irrigation,  "  garden  truck  "  may  be  raised,  but 
beyond  this  everything  looks  barren  and  desolate. 
The  soil  has  a  reddish  appearance,  and  appears 
to  consist  of  decomposed  granite  underlaid  in  the 
valleys  with  sand  and  on  the  uplands  with  rock. 
In  fact,  a  man  who  attempts  to  farm  it  for  a 
living  in  this  region  of  country  is  simply  fooling 
away  his  time. 

Stock  Interests. — The  rich  nutritious  gras- 
ses with  which  the  great  plains  are  covered  are 
here  found  in  all  their  excellence,  and  the  large 
territory  east  of  the  base  of  the  Black  Hills,  north 
as  far  as  the  North  Platte  River  and  south  to  the 
Gulf  of  Mexico,  is  now  sustaining  millions  of 
sheep  and  cattle.  Cheyenne  is  located  in  the 
midst  of  one  of  the  best  sections  of  this  territory, 
and  all  around  it  are  the  ranches  of  stockmen — 
men  engaged  in  growing  cattle,  sheep,  horses  and 
mules  for  market.  With  the  exception  of  sheep, 
no  hay  is  cut  for  these  animals  except  for  those 
kept  up  for  use.  Winter  and  summer  they  thrive 
and  fatten  upon  nothing  but  the  native  grasses. 
Cheyenne  is  the  central  and  natural  trading- 
point  for  these  ranchmen  and  stock  growers. 
Another  large  and  valuable  element  of  its  pros- 
perity is  the  railroad  trade — the  company  having 
here  quite  extensive  machine  and  repair  shops, 
with  a  commodious  roundhouse.  Hunting  and 
exploring  parties  also  supply  themselves  with  out- 
fits at  this  place,  and  immense  quantities  of  mili- 
tary and  Indian  supplies  also  pass  through  here 
for  the  posts  and  Indian  agencies  north. 

To  give  an  idea  of  the  stock  business  which 
centers  here,  and  its  rapid  increase,  let  us  state  that 
375  cars  of  cattle  were  shipped  in  1874.  which 
represent  7,500  head.  In  1875,  the  shipments  in- 
creased to  525  cars,  or  10,500  head,  with  prospects 
for  a  large  increase  in  1876  and  future  years.  It 
may  be  well  to  state  here,  the  shipments  from  other 
points  in  this  grazing  belt  of  the  country : 

North  Platte  in  1875  shipped  96  cars,  or  1,920  head. 
Ogalalla,                  "         "        207        "        4,140     " 
Julesburg,               "         "       216       "        4,320     " 
Sidney,                    "         "         93       "         1,860     " 
Pine  Bluffs,             "         "        208       "        4,160     " 

This  statement  does  not  include  the  cattle  mar- 
keted at  home  or  supplied  to  the  Indian  agencies 
in  the  north.  Sixty  thousand  head  of  cattle, 
seventy  thousand  sheep  and  four  thousand  horses 
and  mules  are  the  estimated  number  owned  and 


held  in  Laramie  County  alone.  The  development 
of  the  cattle  and  stock  interests  of  this  vast  up- 
land region  is  something  never  thought  of  nor 
entered  the  heads  of  the  projectors  of  the  railroad. 
In  1867,  when  the  railroad  first  arrived,  there  was 
not  probably  a  hundred  head  of  all  kinds  owned  in 
the  whole  territory,  outside  of  those  belonging  to 
contractors  and  stage  lines.  Now  it  is  a  leading 
interest,  and  represents  millions  of  dollars.  Like 
all  other  frontier  towns,  Cheyenne  has  a  history, 
and  it  is  similar  to  that  of  others.  It  was  once  a 
very  fast  town,  and  it  is  not  very  slow  now.  On 
the  1st  day  of  July,  1867,  it  had  one  house  built  and 
owned  by  Judge  J.  R.  Whitehead,  on  Eddy  street, 
between  Sixteenth  and  Seventeenth.  That  house 
stands  to-day,  and  is  known  as  the  Whitehead 
block.  It  was  built  of  logs  and  smoothly  plastered, 
outside  and  in. 

lioiif/h  Times. — When  it  was  known  that  this 
was  to  be  the  winter  terminus  of  the  road,  there 
was  a  grand  hegira  of  roughs,  gamblers  and  pros- 
titutes from  Julesburg  and  other  places  down  the 
road  to  this  point,  and  in  the  fall  of  that  year  and 
winter  of  '68,  Cheyenne  contained  6,000  inhab- 
itants. Habitations  sprang  up  like  mushrooms. 
They  were  of  every  conceivable  character,  and 
some  were  simply  holes  in  the  ground,  otherwise 
termed  "  dug-outs."  Town-lots  were  sold  at  fabu- 
lous prices.  Every  nation  on  the  globe,  nearly,  was 
represented  here.  The  principal  pastimes  were 
gambling,  drinking  villainous  rot-gut  whisky, 
and  shooting.  Shooting  scrapes  were  an  every- 
day occurrence.  Stealing  anything  from  any- 
body was  the  natural  habit  of  the  thieving  roughs. 
Knock  downs  and  robberies  were  daily  and 
nightly  amusements.  But  these  things  had  to 
come  to  an  end,  and  their  perpetrators,  some 
of  them,  to  a  rope's  end.  The  more  respectable 
portion  of  the  citizens  became  weary  of  the  dep- 
redations on  property  and  life.  Vigilance  com- 
mittees were  organized,  and  "Judge  Lynch" 
held  court,  from  which  there  were  neither  appeals 
nor  stay  of  executions.  Juries  never  disagreed, 
nor  were  there  vexatious  delays  and  motions  for 
a  new  trial.  Witnesses  were  unnecessary  and  de- 
murrers of  no  account.  Nor  would  "  the  insanity 
dodge "  avail.  The  victims  were  known  and 
"  spotted "  beforehand,  the  judgments  of  the 
courts  were  unerring  and  generally  righteous.  No 
gallows  were  erected,  because  telegraph  poles  and 
the  railroad  bridge  across  Crow  Creek  were  con- 
venient of  access.  When  Cheyenne  was  only  six 
months  old,  so  frequent  were  the  murders  and 
robberies,  and  the  city  authorities  so  powerless, 
that  a  vigilance  committee  was  organized.  The 
first  knowledge  of  its  existence  happened  thus : 
Three  men  were  arrested  on  the  10th  day  of 
January,  1868,  charged  with  having  stolen  $900. 
They  were  put  under  bonds  to  appear  before 
the  court  on  the  14th  of  the  same  month.  On 
the  morning  of  the  day  after  they  were  arrested, 
they  were  found  on  Eddy  street,  tied  together, 


66 


walking  abreast  with  a  large  piece  of  canvas 
attached  to  them,  on  which  the  following  words 
were  conspicuous:  " $900  stole ;  $500  returned; 
thieves — F.  St.  Clair,  W.  Grier,  E.  D.  Brownville. 
City  authorities  please  not  interfere  until  10  o'clock 
a.  TO.  Next  case  goes  up  a  tree.  Beware  of  Vigi- 
lance Committee."  Within  one  year  after  its  organ- 
ization, the  "  vigilantes "  had  hung  and  shot 
twelve  desperadoes  and  sent  five  to  the  peniten- 
tiary. Since  that  time  Cheyenne  has  been  ruled 
by  the  law-and-order  party,  though  even  these  may 
seem  rather  lax  to  eastern  people  not  accustomed 
to  the  manners  and  customs  of  the  frontier.  Yet 
the  people  enjoy  "  peace." 

On  the  13th  day  of  November,  1867,  the  track 
layers  reached  the  city  limits,  and  on  the  14th 
the  first  passenger  train  arrived.  The  arrival  of 
the  track  layers  was  greeted  with  music,  a  dis- 
play of  bunting,  while  the  inhabitants  turned  out 
en  masse  to  meet  them.  On  the  14th  an  en- 
thusiastic meeting  of  citizens  was  held  to  extend 
a  public  greeting  to  the  railroad  officials  who  had 
arrived  on  the  first  train,  among  whom  were 
Sidney  Dillon,  Esq.,  now  president  of  the  com- 
pany, and  General  Casement  of  Ohio,  the  cham- 
pion track  layer  of  the  continent. 

The  first  city  government  was  organized,  by  the 
election  of  officers,  on  the  10th  of  August,  1867. 
The  first  newspaper  was  issued  on  the  19th  of 
September,  called  the  Cheyenne  Leader,  and  has 
maintained  its  existence  ever  since — publishing 
daily  and  weekly  editions.  Other  papers  have 
since  been  started,  but  they  were  short-lived,  until 
the  publication  of  the  Cheyenne  Daily  News, 
which  is  a  spicy  little  daily.  As  the  town  is  now 
able  to  support  two  papers,  the  Neivs  (just  merged 
into  the  Daily  Sun,)  will  continue  to  flourish. 

Cheyenne  is  well  laid  out,  with  broad  streets 
at  right  angles  to  the  railroad,  and  has  an  abund- 
ant supply  of  pure  water.  Irrigating  ditches 
run  through  the  streets.  A  ditch  was  dug  from 
Crow  Creek  to  some  natural  "  hollows  "  or  reser- 
voirs north  of  the  town,  which  form  beautiful  little 
lakes.  From  these  the  water  for  the  streets  is 
taken  by  ditches.  As  a  result,  trees  and  shrubbery 
will  soon  ornament  the  streets  and  yards  of  the 
city,  which  will  greatly  add  to  its  attractiveness 
and  beauty.  There  are  a  few  local  manufactories 
already  in  existence  and  more  will  follow,  and 
on  a  larger  scale.  With  the  wool  which  is  soon  to 
be  annually  shipped  from  this  place,  we  should 
think  a  woolen  factory  would  be  a  great  desid- 
eratum. 

Precious  Stones. — In  the  adjacent  mount- 
ains, on  the  hills  and  bluffs  near  by,  and  in  the 
valleys  of  the  streams  in  this  vicinity,  a  large  num- 
ber of  curious  and  precious  stones,  gems  rich  and 
rare,  have  been  found.  They  are  very  plenty  in 
their  natural  state,  their  chief  value  being  in  the 
cost  of  cutting  by  a  lapidary  and  mounting  by  a 
jeweler.  In  the  immediate  neighborhood  of  Chey- 
enne the  following  are  found:  Moss-agates,  in 


great  profusion ;  topaz,  in  colors ;  garnet  or  mount- 
ain ruby;  they  are  usually  found  in  the  little 
heaps  of  sand  thrown  up  by  ants ;  opals  variegated, 
rare  as  yet,  and  valuable ;  petrifactions  of  wood 
and  shells,  which  when  cut,  polished  and  mounted, 
are  splendid ;  amethysts,  onyx,  black  and  white, 
for  cameos  and  jasper.  All  of  these  have  been 
found  in  this  vicinity,  though  some  are  rare.  The 
most  beautiful  moss-agates  are  found  about  half- 
way to  Fort  Laramie,  on  Chugwater  Creek. 
Messrs.  Joslyn  &  Park,  an  old  and  reliable  firm  of 
manufacturing  jewelers,  in  both  Cheyenne  and 
Salt  Lake  City,  have  made  this  business  a  special- 
ty, and  possess  the  largest  and  finest  collection  of 
stones  in  the  country.  Some  of  them  are  exceed- 
ingly beautiful.  Fine  specimens  of  petrified 
palm-wood  may  be  seen  at  their  store.  They  are 
both  beautiful  and  rare.  The  fact  that  petrified 
palm-wood  and  petrified  bones  of  the  rhinoceros 
have  been  found  in  this  territory,  shows  that 
some  six  million  years  ago — comparatively  recent 
— there  was  a  tropical  climate  in  this  region  of 
country,  when  the  palm  flourished  in  luxuriance, 
and  the  rhinoceros  sported  in  the  warm  streams 
or  cavorted  around  on  their  sunny  banks.  Trav- 
elers who  are  willing  to  omit  their  dinner  can 
improve  the  half  hour  allowed  by  the  railroad,  by 
a  hurried  run  over  to  this  store,  which  is  but  a 
block  away. 

Prospects. — At  present,  the  greatest  cause  of 
the  growth  and  prosperity  of  Cheyenne  is  the  dis- 
covery of  gold  in  the  Black  Hills  of  Dakota.  This 
cause  will  last  until,  if  that  country  will  warrant 
it,  a  railroad  is  built  there.  The  discoveries 
of  gold  seem  to  be  extensive  and  inexhaustive, 
and  the  building  of  a  railroad  from  some  point 
here  or  on  the  Union  Pacific  or  Missouri  River, 
will  rapidly  follow.  The  new  branch  of  Union 
Pacific  Railroad  to  Dewe,  will  soon  be  opened ;  at 
present  its  prospects  are  flattering,  and  its  busi- 
ness men  are  reaping  a  rich  harvest  from  their 
investments.  The  opening  of  northern  Wyoming 
to  settlement,  the  development  of  the  vast  mineral 
resources  of  the  territory,  and  the  continued  pros- 
perity of  her  stock  interests,  will  give  to  the 
"  Magic  City  of  the  Plains  "  the  trade,  growth 
and  influence  which  her  location  demands. 

Health. — Asa  resort  for  health-seekers,  Chey- 
enne has  superior  advantages.  It  is  about  a  thou- 
sand feet  higher  than  Denver,  with  an  atmosphere 
not  only  rarefied  but  dry.  It  has  good  hotels  and 
livery  accommodations.  Ponies  are  cheap,  and  in- 
valids can  purchase  them  and  ride  over  the  hills 
and  dales  at  pleasure.  There  is  also  an  abundance 
of  game  in  the  vicinity — antelope,  rabbits,  deer, 
etc.  A  bear  weighing  over  1,500  pounds,  was 
killed  near  here  in  1875.  It  is  the  largest  one 
we  ever  saw.  Its  skin  has  been  preserved,  and 
the  bear  has  been  mounted  in  good  shape.  Fre- 
quent excursions  can  also  be  taken  in  the  warm 
summer  weather  to  Fort  Laramie,  Cheyenne  Pass, 
and  other  places  which  will  expand  the  lungs 


SCENES  IN  THE  BLACK  HILLS. 
1.— Golden  Park.    2.— Qenevieve  Park.    3.— Custer  Park.    4.— Limestone  Peak.    6.— Harney's  Park. 


68 


and  invigorate  the  body.  The  results  of  several 
years'  observations  at  the  United  States  Signal 
Station  here,  show  that  the  temperature  is  more 
even,  taking  the  years  together,  than  in  many 
places  East  or  on  the  Pacific  coast.  The  hottest 
days  do  not  equal  those  which  frequently  occur 
in  the  East,  and  in  the  summer  months  the 
nights  are  deliciously  cool,  assuring  the  invalid 
good  sleep  under  plenty  of  blankets.  We  predict 
a  great  rush  of  invalids  and  health-seekers  to 
this  place  and  vicinity,  in  the  near  future.  Al- 
though Cheyenne  is  a  good  place  to  sleep,  yet 
the  people  are  wide-awake  and  "  owly  "  nights. 

Rapidity  of  Business  at  Cheyenne. — 
On  the  22d  of  July,  1867,  the  first  lots  were 
offered  for  sale  by  the  Union  Pacific  Railroad 
Company  at  Cheyenne — 66  by  132  feet  for  $150. 
Thirty  days  after,  these  lots  sold  for  $1,000  each, 
and  in  two  to  three  months  thereafter,  the  same 
lots  were  again  resold  at  $2,000  to  $2,500.  On 
the  15th  of  July,  1837,  there  was  but  one  house 
at  Cheyenne.  Six  months  thereafter,  there  were 
no  less  than  three  thousand.  The  government 
freight  which  was  transported  over  the  plains  to 
Cheyenne,  from  November,  1867,  to  February, 
1868,  four  months,  amounted  to  6,000  tons, 
and  filled  twelve  large  warehouses,  and  for  a 
long  time  subsequently  averaged  15,000,000  to 
20,000,000  pounds  annually. 

During  the  fall  and  winter,  there  were  three 
forwarding  companies  whose  business  in  trans- 
porting goods,  exclusive  of  government  supplies, 
averaged  5,000,000  pounds  per  month.  Stores 
were  erected  with  marvelous  rapidity.  One  firm 
constructed  an  entire  store,  25  by  55  feet,  quite 
substantial,  in  just  forty-eight  hours  ;  three  hun- 
dred firms  were  in  operation  that  winter,  doing 
mostly  a  wholesale  business ;  of  this  number, 
over  seventy  made  sales  of  over  $10,000  per 
month  each,  and  with  some  firms  sales  reached 
over  $30,000  par  month. 

The  first  post-office  was  established  October 
30, 1867 ;  salary  $1.00  per  month.  In  two  months 
the  United  States  mails  had  increased  so  enor- 
mously as  to  average  2,600  letters  per  day,  and 
in  two  months  more  this  was  doubled,  and  salary 
increased  to  $2,000  per  year.  Though  business 
declined  as  soon  as,  the  terminus  of  the  road  was 
moved,  yet  it  now  has  a  solid  business.  The 
population  in  1875  was  about  4,000,  and  there 
was  invested  in  new  buildings,  in  the  single  year 
of  1875,  no  less  than  $430,000. 

The  Black  Hills  Gold  Discoveries. 

For  several  years  the  impression  has  obtained 
that  there  was  gold  in  the  Black  Hills  of  Dakota, 
and  every  exploration  under  the  auspices  of 
the  government  has  tended  to  encourage  and 
strengthen  this  impression.  In  1860,  Colonel 
Bullock,  now  a  resident  of  Cheyenne,  was  an 
Indian  agent  and  trader  where  Fort  Laramie  now 
stands.  He  saw  a  squaw  in  his  store,  one  day, 


with  something  in  her  mouth.  He  said,  "  Let  me 
see  that."  She  gave  it  to  him,  and  it  proved  to 
be  a  nugget  of  gold,  worth  about  three  dollars. 
He  said,  "  Give  that  to  me."  She  told  him  she 
would,  for  some  raisins  and  candy.  These  he  gave 
her,  and  afterwards  gave  her  coffee  and  sugar  to 
its  full  value.  He  snowed  the  gold  to  his  inter- 
preter, and  requested  him,  if  possible,  to  find 
out  where  it  came  from.  The  interpreter  did 
his  best,  but  the  squaw  would  only  say  that  it 
was  picked  up  in  the  bed  of  a  creek,  and  that 
the  Indians  would  kill  her  if  she  told  where  it 
was.  During  his  long  experience  as  a  trader 
with  the  Indians,  Colonel  Bullock  frequently  saw 
small  nuggets  of  gold,  but  could  never  find  out 
where  the  Indians  obtained  them,  and  the  infer- 
ences he  drew  from  all  the  information  he  could 
obtain  were  to  the  effect  that  the  Bear  Lodge 
country,  nearly  north  of  the  Inyan  Kara  mount- 
ain, was  the  region  where  this  gold  came  from. 
According  to  the  most  recent  information  on  the 
subject,  the  eastern  boundary  line  of  Wyoming 
strikes  the  Black  Hills  nearly  in  the  center, — that 
about  one-half  are  in  Dakota  and  the  other  half 
in  Wyoming.  Harney's  Peak  and  Dodge's  Peak 
are  in  the  former,  while  the  Inyan  Kara  and 
Bear  Lodge  Mountains  are  in  the  latter  territory. 
The  question  of  the  existence  of  gold  there  and 
other  precious  metals,  can  no  longer  be  doubted. 
The  official  report  of  Professor  Jenny  sufficiently 
establishes  this  fact.  It  also  establishes  the  fact 
that  in  a  small  portion  of  the  country  which  he 
examined,  it  is  found  in  paying  quantities.  It 
remains,  therefore,  for  the  hardy  miners  and 
sturdy  pioneers  to  demonstrate  still  further 
whether  it  is  there  in  large  quantities.  Thus  far 
every  thing  has  been  against  them,  and  they  even 
now  are  upon  forbidden  ground,  liable  at  any 
moment  to  be  driven  out  of  the  Hills  by  United 
States  troops.  But  there  is  an  implied  under- 
standing and  belief  now  becoming  quite  preva- 
lent that  they  will  be  allowed  to  remain, — that 
the  government  will  not  molest  them  again.  Jf 
only  this  result  can  be  obtained,  it  will  be  satis- 
factory to  the  miners.  They  do  not  fear  the 
Indians ;  they  only  ask,  if  the  government  will 
not  protect  them,  that  it  will  not  interfere  with 
their  mining  operations  nor  destroy  their  prop- 
erty. Nor  will  they  attack  the  Indians, — they 
are  safe  if  they  keep  away  and  do  not  disturb 
them.  If,  however,  they  are  attacked,  self-de- 
fence will  require  vigorous  measures  for  protec- 
tion. The  law  of  the  case,  as  we  understand  it, 
is  simply  this  :  that  the  reservations  agreed  upon 
by  the  treaty  of  1868  are  in  Dakota  territory ; 
that  a  part  of  the  Black  Hills  only  are  in  that 
territory,  nor  is  there  any  evidence  or  indications 
that  they  ever  occupied  this  part  beyond  the  cut- 
ting of  a  few  lodge-poles.  The  facts  are  that  the 
Indians  are  in  Nebraska  instead  of  Dakota,  and 
that  they  are  really  afraid  of  the  Black  Hills 
because  of  the  terrific  storms  that  visit  them,  when, 


69 


"  from  peak  to  peak,  the  rattling  crags  among, 
leaps  the  live  thunder,"  and  the  pranks  of  livid 
lightning  are  fearful  to  behold.  They  have  a 
superstitious  reverence  for  these  Hills,  and  be- 
lieve them  to  be  the  home  of  the  Great  Spirit. 
The  treaty  only  gives  them  the  right  to  hunt  in 
Wyoming,  as  far  west  as  the  crests  of  the  Big 
Horn  Mountains,  whenever  there  is  sufficient 
game  to  warrant  the  chase.  With  the  exception 
of  this  proviso,  therefore,  the  whole  territory  of 
Wyoming  is  open  to  exploration,  settlement  and 
development.  The  next  question  is, — Will  the 
government  protect  the  pioneers  in  their  explora- 
tions ?  or  must 
they  protect 
themselves  in  go- 
ing where  they 
have  an  undoubt- 
ed right  to  go? 

The  Black 
Hills  are  mainly 
confined  to  a  re- 
gion of  territory 
lying  between 
the  forks  of  the 
Cheyenne  river. 
In  addition  to 
the  gulch  and 
placer  diggings, 
already  discov- 
ered, there  have 
been  a  few  dis- 
coveries of  what 
appears  to  be 
rich  quartz  lodes 
of  gold  and  veins 
of  silver.  This 
region  is  about 
one  hundred 
miles  long  and 
eighty  miles 
wide.  French 
Creek,  Spring 
Creek,  Rapid 
Creek,  Box-elder 
Creek,  Elk  Creek 
and  others  head 
in  these  Hills, 
and  flow  mainly 
in  an  eastern  direction,  emptying  into  the  south 
fork  of  the  Cheyenne.  The  north  fork  seems  to 
hug  the  hills  pretty  closely  with  small  creeks 
and  streams,  yet  unexplored,  heading  in  the 
mountains  and  flowing  into  it.  The  north  fork 
heads  in  Pumpkin  Butte,  a  mountain  a  little 
north-west  of  Fort  Fetterman,  on  the  North 
Platte  river.  West  of  the  northern  portion  of 
the  Black  Hills,  there  are  several  ranges  of  moun- 
tains and  several  streams  which  flow  north  into 
the  Yellowstone  River.  All  accounts  of  this  re- 
gion of  country,  as  far  west  as  the  Big  Horn 
Mountains,  unite  in  the  report  of  its  rich  min- 


AGNES  PARK.— BLACK  HILLS. 


eral  character,  and  we  believe  the  richest  min- 
eral discoveries  ever  known  on  this  continent 
will  be  made  here  in  the  next  few  years. 

How  to  get  to  the  Black  Hills. — Within 

the  past  year  of  1876  and  1877,  there  have  been 
opened  three  distinct  routes  to  the  Black  Hills,  and 
it  is  now  easy  of  access.  The  principal  routes 
are  via  the  Union  Pacific  Railroad,  and  stage 
line  from  either  Sidney  or  Cheyenne.  A  longer 
route  is  occasionally  used  by  steamers  up  the 
Missouri  River  to  Sioux  City,  Yankton  and  Port 
Pierre,  and  thence  by  wagon  across  the  plains  and 
"  bad  lands  "  of  Dakota.  This  route  is  long  and 

circuitous,  with 
not  as  good 
wood,  water  or 
grazing,  as  the 
Southern  route. 
From  Cheyenne 
there  is  a  good 
natural  road, 
which  runs  t  o 
Fort  Laramie,  a 
distance  of  90 
miles,over  which 
the  U.  S.  mails 
have  been  car- 
ried for  many 
years.  It  passes 
through  a  coun- 
try with  good 
ranches,  at  con- 
venient  dis- 
tances apart. 
From  Fort  Lar- 
amie to  Custer 
and  Deadwoocl 
City,  there  is  a 
good  wagon 
road,  which  has 
recently  been 
shortened  60 
miles,  so  that  the 
entire  distances 
are  as  follows : 
Cheyenne  to 
Fort  Laramie  93 
miles ;  to  Custer 
City,  260  miles ; 
Golden  City,  295  miles; 
Elizabeth  City,  347  miles ; 


Hill  City,  275  miles 
Rapid  City,  315  miles 
Deadwood,  348  miles  ;  Crook  City,  360  miles. 

The  Cheyenne  and  Black  Hills  Stage  line  now 
runs  regularly,  daily  trips  over  the  road  with  a 
superior  outfit  for  transportation  of  all  classes  of 
passengers.  Hitherto  the  Cheyenne  route  has 
been  the  principal  one  since  it  has  been  the  de- 
pot of  supplies.  It  is  the  only  route  used  by  the 
Government  Supply  trains,  is  in  the  proximity 
of  four  government  military  forts  and  stations, 
and  along  the  entire  route  there  is  an  ample 
supply  of  wood,  water  and  grain.  It  is  also  the 


70 


line  of  the  telegraph  to  the  Black  Hills,  which 
connects  Deadwood  and  Cheyenne.  The  time 
occupied  in  stage  travel  to  the  principal  places 
of  the  Black  Hills  is  from  48  to  60  hours. 

Sidney  has  also  become  a  large  outfitting 
point,  and  there  is  now  invested  nearly  $  100,000 
capital  in  transportation,  equipments  for  passen- 
gers and  freight  to  the  Black  Hills  mines. 

Stages  leave  Sidney  every  morning  at  8  o'clock, 
and  make  the  distance  in  following  time : 

Red  Cloud  Agency  in  20  hours ;  Buffalo  Gap 
(the  point  of  intersection  with  stage  for  Custer, 
30  miles  West)  in  30  hours,  and  reaches  the  en- 
tire distance  to  Deadwood  in  48  to  60  hours. 

By  the  Sidney  route  distances  are  as  follows : 

To  Red  Cloud  Agency,  109  miles ;  Buffalo 
Gap,  171  miles  ;  French  Creek,  184  miles  ;  Bat- 
tle Creek,  196  miles ;  Rapid  River,  214  miles ; 
Spring  Valley,  228  miles  ;  Crook  City,  246  miles ; 
Deadwood,  285  miles.  The  advantage  of  dis- 
tance in  favor  of  the  Sidney  route  is  nearly  one- 
fourth  less  than  by  any  other  route. 

Result  of  the  Opening  of  the  BlacJc 
Hills. — During  the  past  season  of  1876,  the 
yield  of  the  gold  mines  was  nearly  $2,000,000. 
Cheyenne  bankers  are  said  to  have  bought  above 
•1900,000  worth  of  gold  dust,  and  various  amounts 
have  been  forwarded  in  other  ways,  besides  what 
has  been  kept  in  the  Hills.  This  result  has  been 
entirely  from  placer  mining.  One  mining  party 
known  as  the  Wheeler  party,  has  realized  nearly 
$500,000  in  one  season.  Extraordinary  success 
attended  their  work ;  $2,600  were  cleared  in  only 
42  hours'  work,  and  in  general,  on  Deadwood 
Creek,  the  average  to  the  miners  on  each  claim 
was  $300  to  $700  per  day.  Nearly  all  the  yield 
of  the  Black  Hills  in  1876  was  gleaned  in  the 
vicinity  of  Deadwood  and  Whitewood  gulches. 

Quartz  mining  has  been  attempted.  First 
assays  were  but  $38  per  ton,  and  the  average  of 
the  ores  thus  far  experimented  upon,  vary  from 
$30  to  $50  per  ton.  There  is  enough  ore  availa- 
able  to  fill  fifty  100  stamp  mills  for  20  years. 

Miners  with  mortar  and  pestle  have  taken  ore 
from  some  of  these  quartz  lodes,  and  realized  as 
high  as  $15  per  day.  Since  the  settlement  of 
Deadwood,  prices  of  living  have  gradually  de- 
clined, until  good  day  board  now  averages  only 
from  $7  to  $10.  Freight  from  Cheyenne  and 
Sidney  now  costs  but  $3  to  $4  per  100  Ibs.  The 
width  of  the  mineral  belt  is  now  definitely  ascer- 
tained to  be  but  10  to  15  miles,  but  it  stretches 
100  miles  long.  The  agricultural  value  of  the 
Hills  is  beyond  all  words  of  expression.  The 
valleys  have  been  found  to  be  surpassingly  fer- 
tile, the  rain-fall  regular  and  constant,  and  were 
any  one  dissatisfied  with  mining,  still  there  is 
room  for  thousands  of  farms  and  peaceful  homes. 

A  statement  is  made,  apparently  of  unques- 
tioned accuracy,  of  an  explorer  on  Spring  Creek, 
who,  with  three  others,  and  one  day's  sluicing, 
took  out  $38  coarse  gold,  the  pieces  varying  from 


three  cents  to  three  dollars  in  value.  One  man 
prospecting  on  Iron  Creek,  sixty  miles  farther 
off,  took  out  $23.67  from  one  pan  of  dirt.  Mr. 
Allen,  the  recorder  of  mining  claims,  took  from 
his  claim  four  pounds  of  coarse  gold  in  one 
month,  and  all  reports  agree  in  an  average  of 
seven  to  twenty-five  cents  per  pan,  which  will 
turn  out  per  day  $7  to  $50  to  each  man. 

As  a  proof  of  the  existence  of  gold,  it  is  but 
necessary  to  quote  from  the  authority  of  Profes- 
sor Jenny's  report  of  a  visit  in  July,  1875, 
whereof  writing  to  the  Department  of  the  Inte- 
rior at  Washington,  he  announces  the  discovery 
of  gold  in  paying  quantities  near  Harney's  Peak ; 
deposits  very  rich,  with  plenty  of  water  in  the 
streams :  "  The  gold  is  found  in  quartz  ledges  of 
enormous  dimensions.  Whether  the  mines  be 
valuable  or  not,  there  is  a  vastness  of  future 
wealth  in  the  grass  lands,  farms  and  timber. 
The  soil  is  deep  and  fertile;  the  rain-fall  more 
abundant  than  any  other  point  west  of  the  Alle- 
ghanies."  In  the  summer  of  1875,  an  expedition 
headed  by  General  Custer  visited  this  region, 
wherein  he  describes  finding  an  abundance  of 
wild  fruits,  strawberries,  raspberries,  gooseber- 
ries in  wonderful  profusion  ;  and  frequently  the 
wild  berry  was  larger  and  more  delicious  flavor 
than  the  domestic  species  in  the  Eastern  states. 

A  miner  writing  from  personal  view  thus 
speaks  of  the  richness  of  the  section  thus  far  dis- 
covered :  "  I  found  several  miners  working  their 
claims,  as  yet  in  a  crude  and  primitive  manner. 
Some  of  them  working  with  a  Chinese  rocker 
cleaned  up  from  five  to  seven  pennyweights  of 
gold,  the  result  of  but  three  hours'  work.  Twen- 
ty-five miles  north-west  of  Spring  Creek,  I  found 
the  largest  vein  of  gold  quartz  I  have  ever  seen, 
being  from  300  to  600  feet  in  width,  and  tracea- 
ble for  over  40  miles  in  length.  I  also  found  a 
vein  of  white  crystallized  quartz  about  four  feet 
in  width,  in  which  gold  was  plainly  visible.  I 
obtained  some  specimens,  fabulously  rich  ;  one 
piece  was  sent  to  the  Omaha  smelting  works 
which  averaged  $42,000  to  the  ton.  At  Rapid 
Creek  the  prospects  are  still  better  than  in  Spring 
Gulch.  Castle  Creek  is  the  richest  found  in  the 
Black  Hills.  One  claim  has  been  worked  to  the 
bed-rock,  in  the  channel,  which  paid  $6.00  of 
gold  to  one  cubic  foot  of  gravel." 

The  best  mines  have  proved  by  the  latest  dis- 
coveries to  be  on  the  west  side  of  the  Hills,  and 
aside  from  the  value  of  the  precious  metal,  the 
superb  salubrity  of  the  climate,  arid  the  natural 
richness  of  the  soil,  make  it  extraordinarily  at- 
tractive. An  explorer  describes  the  country  as 
"  the  richest  ever  seen  or  heard  of  between  the 
Missouri  River  and  Central  Oregon.  Excellent 
timber  in  the  greatest  abundance ;  as  fine  pas- 
turage as  I  ever  saw;  rich  black  loam  soil; 
splendid  water ;  showers  every  few  days ;  no 
disagreeable  winds  ;  a  delicious,  bracing  atmos- 
phere to  either  work  or  rest  in ;  a  splendid  diver- 


71 


sity  of  hill  and  valley ;  prairie  and  timber  forest ; 
a  landscape  of  which  the  eye  never  tires." 

During  one  week,  800  miners  passed  through 
Hill  City,  en  route  for  the  mines  of  Whitewood 
and  Deadwood.  In  most  of  the  creeks  the  bed- 
rock lies  15  to  20  and  40  feet  below  the  surface. 
On  the  1st  of  March  there  were  estimated  to  be 
over  10,000  people  in  the  Black  Hills,  and  rap- 
idly accumulating  at  the  rate  of  1,000  per  week, 
which  would  be  still  greatly  augmented  when 
the  summer  weather  opens. 

A  Terrible  Thunder- Storm. — The  Black 
Hills  of  Dakota  are  the  fear  of  Indians,  because 
of  the  frequent  thunder-storms.  Col.  R.  I. 
Dodge,  United  States  Commander  of  Black  Hills 
Expedition,  1874,  states  that  in  this  region 
"  thunder-storms  are  quite  frequent,  terrific  in 
force  and  power,  and  fearful  in  the  vividness, 
the  nearness  of  the  lightning.  Scarcely  a  day  in 
summer  that  there  is  not  a  thunder-storm  in 
some  part  of  the  hills. 

"  One  afternoon,  from  the  top  of  one  of  the 

high  mountains,  near  Harney's  Peak,  I  saw  five 

separate  and  distinct   storms,  occurring  at   the 

a  same  instant  in  different  parts  of  the  hills.     One 

3  of  these  struck  our  party  with  fatal  results. 

j<      "A  heavy  rain-storm  coming  on,  two  soldiers 

*  and  the  boy  took  refuge  under  a  tall  pine.     All 

H  three  were  seated  on  a  rock  about  six  feet  from 

H  the  trunk  of  the  tree,  and  each  held  in  his  hand 

o  the'  reins  of   his   horse's   bridle.     At  the  flash, 

H  the  three  persons  and  horses  were  thrown  to  the 

a  ground,  one  of  the  soldiers  being  pitched  quite  a 

^distance,  alighting  on  his  head.     The   surgeon 

|  was  promptly  on  hand.     Each  person  had  been 

Z  struck  on  the  cheek  bone,  just  under  the  eye. 

«  The  fluid  passed  down  the  person  of  each,  going 

§  out  at  the  ball  of  the  foot,  boring  a  hole  in  the 

shoe  sole  as  clean  and  round  as  if  made  by  a 

bullet,  and  raising  a  large  blood  blister  on  the 

bottom  of  the  foot.     Neither  had  any  other  mark 

whatever.     Skipping  from  the  men  to  the  horses, 

the  flash  prostrated  all,  striking  each  just  over  the 

eye.     Two   soon  recovered  their  feet,  and  the 

third  was  killed. 

"  During  this  storm,  which  lasted  scarce  half  an 
hour,  more  than  twenty  trees  were  struck  by 
lightning  within  a  radius  of  a  few  hundred  yards. 
"  At  another  time,  I  witnessed  another  curious 
and  unaccountable  phenomenon.  I  was  on  a 
high  mountain  of  the  Harney  Group.  Within 
four  miles  of  me,  in  different  directions,  were 
three  thunder-storms,  their  clouds  being  probably 
500  or  1,000  feet  below  me.  Though  I  could  see 
the  vivid  and  incessant  flashes  of  lightning,  not 
a  sound  of  the  thunder  could  be  heard.  Through- 
out the  Hills  the  number  of  the  trees  which  bear 
the  mark  of  the  thunder-bolt  is  very  remark- 
able, and  the  strongest  proof  of  the  violence  and 
frequent  recurrence  of  these  storms.  The  elec- 
tric current  acts  in  the  most  eccentric  way.  In 
some  cases  it  will  have  struck  the  very  top  of  a 


72 


lofty  pine,  and  passed  down,  cutting  a  straight 
and  narrow  groove  in  the  bark,  without  any  ap- 
parent ill  effect  on  the  tree,  which  remains  green 
and  nourishing ;  at  other  times  the  tree  will  be 
riven  into  a  thousand  pieces,  as  if  with  the  blows 
of  a  giant  axe,  and  the  fragments  scattered  a 
hundred  feet  around." 

Rainbows. — "The  rainbow  of  the  Black 
Hills  is  a  marvel  of  perfection  and  beauty.  Two 
or  three  times  wider  than  the  rainbow  of  the 
States,  it  forms  a  complete  and  perfect  arch,  both 
ends  being,  sometimes,  visible  to  the  beholder, 
and  one  so  near  and  distinct  that  there  would  be 
little  difficulty  in  locating  the  traditional  '  pot  of 
gold.'  Very  frequently  the  rainbow  is  doubled, 
and  several  times  I  saw  three  distinct  arches,  the 
third  and  higher  being,  however,  a  comparatively 
faint  reflex  of  the  brilliant  colors  of  the  lower." 


867  feet  at  base,  297  feet  at  top.  It  rises  1,127 
feet  above  its  base,  and  5,100  feet  above  tide- 
water. Its  summit  is  inaccessible  to  anything 
without  wings.  The  sides  are  fluted  and  scored 
by  the  action  of  the  elements,  and  immense 
blocks  of  granite,  split  off  from  the  column  by 
frost,  are  piled  in  huge,  irregular  mounds  about 
its  base.  The  Indians  call  this  shaft  "  The  Bad 
God's  Tower." 

Game. — The  Hills  are  full  of  deer,  elk,  bears, 
wolves,  cougars,  grouse,  and  ducks.  The  streams 
have  an  abundance  of  fish,  although  of  but  few 
sorts. 

After  careful  investigation  General  Dodge 
closes  with  this  expression  of  careful  judgment : 

Opinion  of  General  Dodge. — "  1  but  ex- 
press my  fair  and  candid  opinion  when  I  pro- 
nounce the  Black  Hills,  in  many  respects,  the 


DEVIL'S  TOWER— BLACK  HILLS. 


M mint ains.  —  Harney's  Peak  is  7,440  feet 
above  tide-water,  the  other  peaks  are 


Crook's  Monument, 
Dodge's  Peak, 
Terry's  Peak, 
Warren's  Peak, 
Ouster's  Peak, 
Crow  Peak, 
Bare  Peak, 
Devil's  Tower, 


7,600  feet  elevation. 
7,300  feet  elevation. 
7,200  feet  elevation. 
6,900  feet  elevation. 
6,750  feet  elevation. 
6,200  feet  elevation. 
5,200  feet  elevation. 
5,100  feet  elevation. 


The  Devil's  Tower  is  one  of  the  most  remark- 
able peaks  of  the  world.  General  Dodge  de- 
scribes it  thus  :  "  An  immense  obelisk  of  granite, 


finest  country  I  have  ever  seen.  The  beauty  and 
variety  of  the  scenery,  the  excellence  of  the  soil, 
the  magnificence  of  the  climate,  the  abundance 
of  timber  and  building  stone  make  it  a  most  de- 
sirable residence  for  men  who  want  good  homes. 

"  As  a  grazing  country  it  can  not  be  surpassed, 
and  small  stock  farms  of  fine  cattle  and  sheep 
can  not  fail  of  success. 

"  Gold  there  is  every-where  in  the  granite — gold 
enough  to  make  many  fortunes,  and  tempt  to 
the  loss  of  many  more. 


73 


"  Here  is  a  country  destined,  in  a  few  years,  to 
be  an  important  and  wealthy  portion  of  the 
great  American  Republic." 

There  is  little  doubt  that  in  a  few  years  this 
section,  from  the  Black  Hills  of  Dakota  to  and 
across  the  Big  Horn  region,  and  all  northern 
Wyoming,  will  be  a  rich  field  of  industry,  as 
have  been  Colorado  and  Utah.  The  illustrations 
we  give  are  from  photographs  taken  by  General 
Ouster  in  his  famous  Black  Hills  Exploring 
Expedition  of  1875,  and  represent  this  country 
to  be  of  great  scenic  beauty. 

COLORADO. 

Pleasure  Resorts. — Colorado  is  an  empire 
of  itself  in  enterprise,  scenic  beauty  and  abund- 
ance of  pleasure  resorts.  In  1870,  few  or  none 
of  these  were  known,  and  towns  were  small  in 
number  and  population.  Since  that  time,  it  has 
become  a  center  of  great  railroad  activity,  has 
grown  in  wonderful  favor  as  an  attractive  region 
for  summer  travel ;  and  as  a  country  for  health- 
giving  and  life-giving  strength,  it  has  drawn 
thither  thousands  who  have  made  it  their  perma- 
nent home. 

THE  COLORADO  CENTRAL  RAIL- 
ROAD. 

Tourists  to  Colorado  will  find  a  journey  over 
this  new  Railroad  Line  just  opened,  of  special 
interest  and  attractiveness.  Through  Sleeping 
Cars  from  Omaha  run  direct  over  this  line  to 
Denver,  simply  changing  trains  at  Cheyenne, 
and  all  trains  make  connections  from  Denver 
for  Union  Pacific  Trains  East.  The  route  for 
the  first  50  or  more  miles  South  passes  at  the 
base  of  the  Rocky  Mountains,  in  grand  view  of 
their  sublime  snow-capped  summits.  The  equal 
of  this  ride  is  not  found  in  any  Railroad  in  the 
Far  West.  At  Fort  Collins  the  railroad  crosses 
the  famous  Cache  la  Poudre  Valley,  one  of  the 
finest  and  most  lovely  regions  of  agricultural 
wealth  in  the  State.  Wheat  and  all  kinds  of 
grain  are  here  cultivated  in  large  farms,  and 
yield  luxuriant  crops. 

Est.es  ParJc  is  a  place  of  superb  scenic  at- 
traction, which  will  afford  a  most  pleasurable 
resort  for  the  overland  Tourist  to  visit.  It  is 
reached  by  stage  from  Longmont,  distance  36 
miles,  contains  a  very  superior  mountain  hotel, 
and  a  wide  expanse  of  park  scenery,  with  mag- 
nificent views  of  Long's  Peak,  and  the  snowy 
caps  of  the  neighboring  peaks ;  also  there  is 
abundance  of  trout  fishing.  For  a  health  resort 
to  any  one  seeking  rest  and  recuperation,  a 
sojourn  here  will  be  found  particularly  enjoyable. 

Lonymont  is  in  the  midst  of  a  thriving  agri- 
cultural country,  with  large  and  rich  farms — the 
country  is  nearly  level — yet  the  supply  of  water 
is  abundant  for  irrigating  purposes,  and  the 
farming  advantages  of  the  country  are  good. 


Some  of  the  little  farms  are  gems  in  their  neat- 
ness. The  railroad  here  is  at  its  greatest  dis- 
tance from  the  range  ;  hence  they  seem  smaller, 
and  lower  in  elevation,  with  less  snow,  though 
here  and  there  is  an  opening  in  the  range  which 
reveals  the  glorious  form  of  some  tall  snow  cov- 
ered Monarch. 

The  population  is  about  400. 

Boulder  is  most  prettily  located  at  the  en- 
trance to  the  famous  Boulder  Canon,  and  im- 
mediately in  a  little  cove  at  the  base  of  the 
mountains.  The  valley  is  the  most  fertile  in  the 
State,  the  water  supply  is  unsurpassed,  the  cli- 
mate is  the  warmest  of  any  country,  and  the 
crops  are  much  earlier  than  any  place  for  100 
miles  from  Denver.  Tourists  will  find  numer- 
ous mines  near  here  worth  visiting,  also  most 
interesting  rides  up  Boulder  Canon,  Bear  Creek 
Canon,  and  a  trip  to  Caribon  Silver  mines.  The 
railroad,  as  it  passes  Southward  and  rises  out  of 
the  valley  to  the  upland,  reveals,  as  you  cast  a 
glance  back,  a  wondrously  beautiful  view  of 
landscape  charms.  The  mountain  view  is  sub- 
lime ;  the  near  peaks  beinj?  dark,  while  the  dis- 
tant ones,  well  covered  with  snow,  afford  start- 
ling contrast  and  are  beautiful  in  the  extreme. 

From  Boulder  to  Golden  tlunction,  and  thence 
to  Denver,  the  railroad  crosses  alternately  high 
upland,  then  descends  into  and  crosses  the  valley 
of  many  streams  flowing  from  the  mountain, 
which  irrigate  a  region  of  wonderful  agricultural 
fertility.  Upon  these  uplands,  there  is  a  mag- 
nificent and  exhilarating  breeze,  constantly  blow- 
ing from  the  mountains.  Dark  Canons  appear 
and  disappear  as  the  Tourist  travels  on.  The 
afternoon  sun  often  reveals  glorious  displays  of 
sunset  colors  on  the  clouds,  thunder  storms  with 
lightning  often  give  wild  and  thrilling  effects. 
And  at  each  descent  from  the  upland  into  each 
little  valley,  the  view  is  one  of  beauty  and  pleas- 
ure. 

The  railroad  as  it  turns  East  from  Colorado 
Junction,  reveals  at  the  right,  the  busy  town  of 
Golden ;  a  mile  distant,  over  it,  towers  a  peak  of 
1,000  feet  high  and  down  the  little  valley  of 
Clear  Creek,  the  route  passes  till  your  terminus 
at  Denver. 

This  route  of  reaching  Denver  from  the  East 
must  be  specially  advantageous  to  Tourists. 

The  Denver  Pacific  Railroad  also  runs 
direct  from  Cheyenne,  southward,  to  Denver, 
and  trains  connect  with  the  mid-day  trains  of 
the  Union  Pacific  Railroad.  The  distance,  106 
miles,  is  mainly  over  a  vast  level  plain,  covered 
only  with  the  short  gray  buffalo  grass,  but 
parallel  with  the  main  range  of  the  Rocky 
Mountains,  and  20  to  30  miles  from  their  east- 
ern base. 

Greeley, — Named  in  honor  of  Horace  Greeley, 
and  settled  in  May,  1870.  The  colony  passess 
about  100,000  acres  of  fine  alluvial  soil  in  the 
Valley  of  the  Cache  La  Poudre  River.  Irrigat- 


74 


WILLIAMS'  CANON,   COLORADO   SPRINGS. 

BY  THOMAS  MORAN. 


75 


ing  ditches  have  been  constructed,  and  there  is 
an  abundance  of  water  for  all  agricultural  pur- 
poses. The  town  for  several  years  has  increased 
with  steady  rapidity,  and  the  population  is  slight- 
ly over  2,000.  At  this  place  are  located  some 
of  the  finest  grist-mills  of  the  entire  West.  The 
place  has  achieved  considerable  reputation  as  a 
temperance  town. 

Denver — is  the  capital  of  the  State.  This 
has  become  a  large  railroad  point.  From  it  di- 
verge the  Kansas  Pacific,  636  miles  eastward  to 
Kansas  City,  the  Denver  and  Rio  Grande  Rail- 
road, Narrow  Gauge,  southward,  to  Canon  City, 
Pueblo  and  Trinidad,  and  Port  Garland;  also 
the  various  branches  of  the  Colorado  Central  to 
Georgetown,  Idaho  Springs,  Central  City,  and 
the  mines  of  the  mountains. 

Its  population  exceeds  20,000,  and  its  location 
is  most  advantageous  for  easy  trade  and  com- 
munication with  all  the  principal  points  of  the 
Territory.  Located  on  an  open  plain,  about 
thirteen  miles  from  the  Rocky  Mountains ;  there 
is  a  grand  view  of  the  entire  range  from  Long's 
Peak  on  the  north  to  Pike's  Peak  on  the  south. 
While  eastward,  northward  and  southward 
stretches  the  vast  upland  plains  which  is  so  im- 
pressive with  its  boundless  extent.  The  city  is  full 
of  thrift,  of  life ;  and  trade  is  always  splendid. 
The  buildings  which  grace  the  principal  streets 
are  made  principally  of  brick,  and  in  general  ap- 
pearance, are  superior  to  those  of  any  city  west  of 
the  Missouri  River.  Daily,  weekly  and  monthly 
newspapers  thrive.  Here  is  a  branch  of  the 
United  States  Mint,  gas-works,  water-works, 
horse-railroads,  and  a  multitude  of  hotels.  The 
best  of  which  are  the  Grand  Central,  Inter-Ocean, 
American,  Sargent,  Broadwell  and  Villa  Park. 
From  this  point  the  traveler  can  radiate  in  all 
directions  in  search  of  pleasure  resorts. 

Notes  to  Tourists. — The  uniform  railroad 
fare  in  the  Territory  averages  ten  cents  per  mile. 
Stage  routes  run  all  through  the  mountains,  fare 
from  ten  to  twenty  cents  per  mile.  The  uniform 
rate  of  board  is  four  dollars  per  day,  and  almost 
every-where  can  be  found  excellent  living;  the 
nicest  of  beef  steak,  bread  and  biscuit.  In  many 
of  the  mountain  resorts  plenty  of  good  fishing  can 
be  found,  and  delicate  trout  are  common  viands 
of  the  hotel  tables.  The  best  season  of  the  year 
for  a  visit  to  Colorado  is  in  July  and  August. 
As  then  the  snow  has  nearly  disappeared  from 
the  mountains,  and  all  the  beautiful  parks  and 
valleys  are  easily  approachable.  Those  who  wish 
to  include  both  Colorado  and  California  in  a 
pleasure  trip  will  do  well  to  visit  California  first, 
during  April  May  and  June,  and  then  on  return 
spend  July  and  August  leisurely  in  the  cozy  little 
home  resorts  of  Colorado.  Although  it  must  be 
confessed  that  the  scenery  of  the  Colorado  mouu,t- 
ains  is  far  the  most  impressive  and  most  beauti- 
ful when  first  seen,  before  reaching  the  greater 
magnificence  of  the  Yosemite  and  Sierras. 


Living  in  Colorado  is  more  nearly  like  New  Eng- 
land customs  than  in  California,  and  to  those 
who  seek  Western  travel,  for  health,  the  climate 
of  Colorado  is  much  more  favorable  than  that  of 
California. 

The  Denver  and  Rio  Grande  Rail- 
road— will  carry  the  traveler  southward  from 
Denver,  along  the  base  of  the  Rocky  Mountains, 
to  some  of  the  most  noted  pleasure  resorts  of  the 
territory.  This  little  narrow  gauge  is  a  wonder 
of  itself,  representing  nearly  $1,000,000  of  capi- 
tal, and  operating  over  200  miles  of  road,  it  has 
developed  a  traffic  exceeding  $500,000  per  year, 
where  six  years  ago  the  stage  route  did  not  real- 
ize $1,000  per  month,  and  the  prospects  for  the 
future  for  its  trade  with  the  miners  of  the  San 
Juan  Country,  Trinidad,  Sante  Fe,  are  most  en- 
couraging, as  the  new  gold  discoveries  become 
better  developed.  Seventy-six  miles  south  of 
Denver,  on  this  line,  are  clustered  three  little 
places  of  resort,  practically  one  in  interest,  Colo- 
rado Springs,  Colorado  City,  and 

Manitou  Springs. — The  former  is  the  rail- 
road station,  a  lively  town,  which  in  five  years 
has  risen  from  the  prairie  to  a  population  of 
3,000.  Six  miles  distant  from  the  Springs  at 
Manitou,  are  collected  several  elegant  hotels,  and 
in  the  vicinity  are  numerous  soda  springs — iron 
springs  and  medicinal  baths — of  great  virtue. 
The  location  of  this  resort,  with  its  wonderful  col- 
lection of  objects  of  natural  interest  and  scenery, 
have  earned  for  it  the  title  of  "  Saratoga  of  the 
Far  West."  Travelers  find  here  beautiful  scenery 
in  the  Ute  Pass — Garden  of  the  Gods — Glen 
Eyrie,  numerous  beautiful  canons,  Queen  Canon 
— Cheyenne  Canon,  grand  and  impressive,  and 
towering  over  all  is  the  lofty  summit  of  Pike's 
Peak,  14,300  feet  high,  up  which  ascends  a  trail 
to  the  government  signal  station,  the  highest  in 
the  United  States.  Travelers,  who  frequently 
ascend  this  peak  are  rewarded,  when  on  a  clear 
day,  with  a  glimpse  of  grand  and  glorious  views 
of  the  peaks  and  mountains,  southward  and 
westward. 

In  this  vicinity  is  located  a  pretty  little  canon 
about  15  miles  in  length,  with  walls  of  rock  ris- 
ing to  uniform  height  of  600  and  800  feet  above 
a  very  narrow  foot  pass  below.  This  canon  was 
discovered  and  named,  in  1870,  by  a  party  of 
editors,  Williams'  Canon,  in  honor  of  H.  T.  Wil- 
liams, their  commander.  This  was  the  first  visit 
of  an  Eastern  pai'ty,  of  any  notoriety,  at  the 
Springs.  No  railroad  was  then  built,  and  not  a 
house  was  to  be  seen,  nor  even  a  rancheman's 
cabin.  The  scenery  of  this  canon,  (see  illustration), 
is  at  various  points  wild  in  the  extreme,  and  the 
colossal  walls  of  rocks  are  of  such  shape  and  for- 
mation that  they  give  to  the  observer  an  excellent 
general  idea  of  the  characteristic  canon  scenery  of 
the  mountains.  The  canon  has  never  been  fully 
explored,  and  at  present  is  the  scene  of  fifty  or 
more  claims  of  gold  discoveries. 


77 


Pleasure  travelers  are  uniformly  glad  that 
they  have  made  a  visit  to  these  points,  as  they 
excel  in  interest  any  other  points  in  the  Western 
trip.  Southward  from  Colorado  Springs,  the 
next  most  noted  resort  is  Canon  City  and  the 

Grand  Canon  of  the  Arkansas. — This  is 
a  scene  of  remarkable  beauty  and  magnificence ; 
at  one  point  can  be  seen  the  river  winding  its 
way  for  ten  miles,  at  the  base  of  huge  perpendic- 
ular rocks  which  rise  fully  1000  and  2000  feet 
above  the  current.  This  is  the  grandest  canon 
view  in  Colorado.  Westward  from  Colorado 
Springs  is  the  South  Park,  a  noted  route  for 
travelers  who  enjoy  camping  out,  and  a  fine  drive 
through  the  mountains. 

Garden  of  the  Gods.  —  Tlie  Beautiful 
Gate. — This  is  also  a  famous  pleasure  resort  at 
Manitou,  near  Colorado  Springs.  Midway  be- 
tween the  Station  and  Springs  is  located  one  of 
the  most  beautiful  and  curious  little  parks,  and 
upheaval  of  rocks  that  Western  scenery  can  dis- 
play. Descending  from  parallel  ridges  into  a 
little  park,  the  traveler  sees  iu  front  of  him  a 
beautiful  gate  of  two  enormous  rocks,  rising  in 
massive  proportion  to  the  height  of  350  feet,  with 
a  natural  gateway  between  of  200  feet  in  width, 
with  a  small  rock  in  the  center.  Standing  a  little 
eastward,  the  observer  gets  the  view  illustrated  in 
our  engraving.  At  the  right  is  another  parallel 
ridge  of  rocks,  pure  white,  which  contrasts  finely 
with  the  dark  red  of  the  rocks  of  the  gate. 
Through  the  gate,  in  the  long  distance  is  seen 
the  summit  of  Pike's  Peak,  eighteen  miles  away. 
Around  these  rocks  is  a  little  grassy  park  of  fifty 
or  more  acres,  in  which  according  to  the  mytholog- 
ical stories  of  the  people,  the  "  gods  "  found  such 
lovely  times  in  play  that  they  christened  it  a  gar- 
den. These  two  parallel  ridges  of  white  and  red 
rocks  extend  for  many  miles  at  the  foot  of  the 
mountains,  and  form  other  curious  formations  at 
Glen  Eyrie,  Monument  Park  and  Pleasant  Park, 
although  much  less  in  size  and  impressiveness. 
The  locality  is  the  most  famous  in  all  Trans- 
continental travel. 

The  Dome  of  the  Continent — Gray's 
Peak. — Westward  from  Denver,  65  miles,  and 
14  from  Georgetown,  Colorado,  rises  the  grandest 
and  most  beautiful  of  the  mountains  of  Colorado. 
The  way  thither  is  one  of  easy  approach,  through 
valley  and  mountain  roads  of  gradual  ascent, 
past  Idaho  Springs,  one  of  the  most  charming  of 
summer  resorts,  and  past  all  the  mines  of  Golden, 
Empire,  Georgetown,  and  the  silver  mines  of  the 
Palisades.  Near  to  the  summit  are  two  very  suc- 
cessful mines,  Baker  and  Stevens,  which  are  dug 
out  of  the  perpendicular  face  of  a  rock  fully  200 
feet  in  height.  Rising  above  all  the  ranges  of  the 
Colorado  Mountains  of  north  Colorado,  Gray's 
Peaks  are  the  grand  Lookout  Points,  from  which 
to  view  to  advantage  all  the  vast  mountain  range. 
In  a  clear  day  the  observer  can  embrace  in  his 
range  of  vision  a  distance  of  100  miles,  in  each 


direction,  northward,  southward  and  westward, 
and  even  eastward  to  over  the  plains  east  of 
Denver.  From  this  point  are  plainly  discernible 
Pike's  Peak,  80  miles  away,  Mount  Lincoln,  50 
miles  ;  Mount  of  the  Holy  Cross,  60  miles ;  Long's 
Peak,  50  miles ;  the  City  of  Denver,  65  miles,  and 
even  the  summit  of  the  Spanish  Peaks,  150  miles 
southward,  and  the  higher  ranges  of  the  Uintah 
Mountains,  150  miles  westward.  The  total  range 
of  the  vision  being  not  less  than  200  to  250  miles. 
Beneath  them  at  the  foot,  lie  the  beautiful  rivers 
and  lakes  of  Middle  Park ;  southward  the  vast 
extended  plains  of  South  Park,  and  everywhere 
near  at  hand  multitudes  of  little  grassy  parks, 
like  valleys  dotted  with  the  groves  of  spruce  and 
pine,  as  if  planted  for  a  grand  pleasure  ground. 
The  height  of  the  Peak  is  14,351  feet,  and  is 
the  easiest  of  access  of  all  the  mountains  of  Colo- 
rado. Travelers  and  pleasure  tourists  who  desire 
one  grand  sight,  never  to  be  regretted,  must  not 
fail  to  include  this  in  their  Western  visit  for  the 
sublimity  and  grand  exaltation  as  from  so  lofty  a 
height  one  views  a  sea  of  huge  mountains,  is  a 
thing  always  to  live  in  one's  memory.  There  is  a 
fine  road  to  within  three  miles  of  the  summit, 
through  charming  verdure-clad  canons  and  val- 
leys and  the  rest  of  the  way  can  be  made  over  a 
fine  trail  by  horseback,  even  to  the  summit. 

Westward  from  Denver  are  Idaho  Springs, 
Georgetown,  Gray's  Peak,  Middle  Park,  Clear 
Creek,  and  Boulder  Canons,  with  the  mining  at- 
tractions of  Central  City,  Georgetown,  Empire, 
Caribou,  and  Black  Hawk,  where  the  observer 
can  witness  sights  of  extraordinary  beauty.  We 
can  not  possibly  describe  the  attractions  of  these 
resorts.  They  are  at  once  terrible,  overpower- 
ing, lonely,  and  full  of  indescribable  majesty. 
Amid  them  all  the  tourist  travels  daily,  imbib- 
ing the  life-giving,  beautiful,  fresh  air  full  of  its 
oxygen  to  quicken  and  stimulate  the  system ; 
the  eye  drinks  in  the  wealth  of  scenery,  and 
loves  to  note  the  beauties  of  the  wonderful  glow- 
ing sunlight,  and  the  occasional  cloud-storms, 
and  wild  display  of  power  and  glory. 

We  know  of  no  country  better  worth  the  title 
of  the  "  Switzerland  of  America  "  than  Colorado, 
with  its  beautiful  mountain  parks,  valleys,  and 
springs.  Go  and  see  them  all.  The  tour  will  be 
worthy  of  remembrance  for  a  life-time. 

The  editor  of  this  Guide  expects  soon  to  issue 
The  Colorado  Tourist,  devoted  more  especially  to 
the  attractions  of  Colorado,  as  the  limits  of  this 
Guide  can  not  begin  to  possibly  describe  a  hun- 
dredth part  of  the  objects  of  interest  within  that 
little  region — a  world  of  pleasure  travel  by  itself. 

Of  Life  in  Colorado, — a  prominent  writer 
has  said :  "  At  Denver  I  found,  as  I  thought,  the 
grade  of  civilization  actually  higher  than  in  most 
Western  cities.  In  elegance  of  building,  in  fin- 
ish, in  furniture,  in  dress  and  equipages,  that 
city  is  not  behind  any  this  side  of  the  Atlantic 
border.  The  total  absence  of  squalidity  and  vis- 


78 


MOUNTAIN  OF  THE  HOLY  CROSS,  COLORADO. 


79 


ible  poverty,  and  I  may  also  say  of  coarseness 
and  rowdyism,  impressed  me  on  my  visit  very 
strongly,  as  did  the  earnestness,  activity  and  in- 
tensity of  life  which  is  everywhere  so  apparent." 

P.  T.  Barnum  once  said  of  Colorado,  in  a  lec- 
ture :  "  Why,  Coloradoans  are  the  most  disap- 
pointed people  I  ever  saw.  Two-thirds  of  them 
came  here  to  die,  and  they  can't  do  it.  This 
wonderful  air  brings  them  back  from  the  verge 
of  the  tomb,  and  they  are  naturally  exceedingly 
disappointed." 

The  average  temperature  is  about  60°  the  year 
round — the  air  is  bracing,  winter  mild,  and  days 
almost  always  full  of  clear  skies  and  bright  warm 
sunshine.  The  purity  and  dryness  of  the  atmos- 
phere are  proverbial. 

Mountain  of  the  Holy  Cross. — The  name 
of  this  remarkable  mountain  is  renowned  to  the 
ends  of  the  earth,  and  is  the  only  one  with  this 
name  in  the  world.  It  is  the  principal  mountain 
of  the  Sawatch  Range,  just  west  of  the  Middle 
Park  of  Colorado,  and  exceedingly  difficult  of 
access.  The  Hayden  party  were  several  days  in 
merely  finding  an  accessible  way  of  travel  to 
reach  its  base.  The  characteristic  features  which 
give  it  its  name  is  the  vertical  face,  nearly  3,000 
feet  in  depth,  with  a  cross  at  the  upper  portion, 
the  entire  fissures  being  filled  with  snow.  The 
cross  is  of  such  remarkable  size  and  distinct  con- 
trast with  the  dark  granite  rock,  that  it  can  be 
seen  nearly  eighty  miles  away,  and  easily  dis- 
tinguished from  all  other  mountain  peaks.  The 
snow  seems  to  have  been  caught  in  the  fissure, 
which  is  formed  of  a  succession  of  steps,  and  here, 
becoming  well  lodged,  it  remains  all  the  year. 
Late  in  the  summer  the  cross  is  very  much  dimin- 
ished in  size  by  the  melting  of  the  snow.  A  beau- 
tiful green  lake  lies  at  the  base  of  the  peak,  almost 
up  to  the  timber  line,  which  forms  a  reservoir  for 
the  waters  from  the  melting  snows  of  the  high 
peaks.  From  this  flows  a  stream  with  many 
charming  cascades.  The  height  of  the  mountain 
is  14,176  feet  above  tide-water.  The  perpendicu- 
lar arm  of  the  cross  is  1,500  feet  in  length,  and 
fully  50  feet  in  breadth,  the  snow  lying  in  the 
crevice  from  50  to  100  feet  in  depth.  The  hori- 
zontal arm  varies  in  length  with  the  seasons,  but 
averages  700  feet.  The  mountain  was  ascended 
by  the  Hayden  party  only  with  the  greatest  diffi- 
culty, after  5,000  feet  of  climbing — fifty  pounds 
of  instruments  on  each  back,  and  obliged  to  pass 
thirty  hours  on  the  summit,  with  no  snelter,  pro- 
tection, fuel  or  provisions,  except  one  pocket 
lunch. 

Military  Posts. 

At  Cheyenne  is  Camp  Carlin,  which  is  prin- 
cipally a  depot  for  quartermasters'  supplies. 
Three  miles  north  on  Crow  Creek  is  Fort  D. 
A.  Russell,  named  in  honor  of  the  gallant  com- 
mander of  the  first  division  of  the  sixth  army 
corps,  who  fell  at  the  battle  of  Winchester  while 


leading  his  men  to  victory.  It  is  a  fifteen-com- 
pany post ;  its  grounds  are  well  laid  out,  with  fair 
buildings  for  officers  and  men.  The  creek  runs 
on  two  sides  of  the  enclosure  and  "  a  spur " 
from  the  railroad  leads  to  it.  This  fort  was 
established  by  General  Augur,  about  the  first 
of  August,  1867.  The  reservation  on  which  it 
is  located  contains  4,512  acres.  It  is  a  distribu- 
ting point  for  both  troops  and  supplies.  In  the 
winter  quite  a  large  number  of  troops,  principally 
cavalry,  are  kept  here ;  but  in  summer  they  are 
at  out-stations  on  the  frontier. 

Fort  Laratnie. — This  fort  is  on  the  North 
Platte  River,  ninety-two  miles  from  Cheyenne. 
It  was  established  in  August,  1869,  by  Major 
W.  F.  Sanderson.  It  was  formerly  a  trading-post 
and  a  great  resort  for  the  northern  Indians.  The 
trappers  and  hunters  among  them  and  among 
the  whites  used  to  visit  this  place  to  trade  their 
furs  for  supplies.  The  fort  derives  its  name 
from  Laramie  River,  which  unites  with  the  North 
Platte  near  this  point.  The  government  has  a 
reservation  here  of  fifty-four  square  miles.  The 
old  overland  road  to  Oregon  passes  this  place,  and 
it  is  also  on  the  direct  road  to  Montana,  the  Big 
Horn  and  Powder  River  regions.  It  is  probably 
the  most  important  post  on  our  frontier  at 
present.  A  semi-weekly  stage  line  connects  it 
with  Cheyenne,  which  will  soon  be  made  daily. 
In  1875,  thieving  bands  of  Sioux  found  their 
way  in  west  and  also  south  of  this  fort  and 
killed  one  or  two  herders  and  stole  a  few  horses. 
If  trouble  with  the  Sioux  should  come  in  conse- 
quence of  the  occupation  of  the  Black  Hills  by 
miners,  the  location  of  this  fort  is  very  conven- 
ient for  the  distribution  of  forces  for  either  offen- 
sive or  defensive  operations. 

Fort  Fettennan — Is  located  on  the  south 
side  of  the  North  Platte  River,  about  eighty  miles 
from  Fort  Laramie.  It  is  named  in  honor  of 
Lieutenant-Colonel  W.  J.  Fettennan,  who  was 
killed  by  the  Indians  at  the  Fort  Phil  Kearny 
massacre,  in  December,  1866.  It  was  established 
in  July,  1867,  by  Major  Dey,  of  the  United 
States  Army,  and  has  a  reservation  of  sixty 
sections  of  land  adjoining.  It  is  at  present  a 
base  of  supplies  for  troops  in  that  vicinity,  and  is 
an  important  link  in  the  chain  of  forts  that 
should  be  re-established  in  the  Powder  and 
Tongue  River  countries.  Two  or  three  military 
posts  between  this  fort  and  Atlantic  City,  in  the 
great  south  pass  at  the  base  of  the  Wind  River 
Mountains,  would  prevent  the  annual  horse- 
stealing  raids  of  the  Indians  on  the  Laramie 
plains. 

Old  Fort  Casper — Is  one  of  the  forts  that 
should  be  re-established.  It  is  about  sixty  miles 
west  of  Fort  Fetterman,  on  the  North  Platte  River, 
at  the  old  overland  stage  crossing,  and  was  aban- 
doned in  1867.  At  that  time  there  was  a  bridge 
across  the  river  there,  which  cost  $65,000,  and 
which  was  soon  after  burned  by  the  Indians. 


Fort  Reno.  —  Established  by  General  P. 
Edward  Connor,  on  Powder  River,  about  ninety 
miles  north-west  of  Fort  Fetternian,  during  the 
war,  and  Fort  Phil  Kearney;  established  by  Col- 
onel Carrington,  at  the  forks  of  the  Big  and 
Little  Piney  Creeks,  in  1866,  have  both  been 
abandoned,  and  should  both  be  re-established. 
Fort  C.  F.  Smith  was  on  the  old  Montana  road, 
near  the  base  of  the  Big  Horn  Mountains  in 
Montana,  some  ninety  miles  from  Fort  Phil 
Kearney;  established  in  1866  and  abandoned  at 
the  same  time  the  other  posts  were  given  up. 
The  region  of  country  in  which  these  forts  were 
established  is  very  fine  for  grazing,  buffaloes 
living  there  the  entire  year,  with  an  abundance 
of  other  gams.  It  is  a  famous  hunting  region 
for  the  Indians ;  but  since  the  government  has 
inaugurated  the  policy  of  feeding  them,  they  have 
become  too  lazy  to  hunt.  Nothing  but  a  horse- 
stealing  raid  can  rouse  the  ambition  of  an  ordi- 
nary Indian. 

foivder  River  Country.  —  The  Powder 
River,  so  named  from  the  dark  powder-colored 
sand  in  its  bed,  rises  in  the  Big  Horn  Mountains, 
north  and  north-west  of  Old  Fort  Casper,  and 
runs  in  a  general  north-easterly  direction  till  it 
empties  into  the  Yellowstone  River.  It  drains  an 
immense  area  of  country,  flows  through  a  large 
region  of  fine  grazing  lands,  and  has  in  the  mount- 
ains and  hills  on  either  side,  untold  treasures  of 
rich  metals  and  precious  gems.  It  has  hitherto 
been  forbidden  ground  to  white  men,  but  those 
who  have  passed  through  it  give  glowing  descrip- 
tions of  its  luxuriant  fertility,  its  grand  scenery 
and  its  mineral  wealth.  The  demand  for  gold 
must  soon  cause  it  to  be  opened,  and  if  it  should 
not  prove  as  rich  in  minerals  as  has  been  predicted, 
it  will  nevertheless  be  one  of  the  finest  grazing- 
regions  in  the  country,  producing  vast  herds  of 
cattle,  sheep  and  horses,  which  will  add  to  the 
material  wealth  of  the  country.  There  are  also 
heavy  bodies  of  timber  on  the  hills  and  mount- 
ains which  border  this  river,  and  which  will  soon 
be  needed  to  build  the  homes  of  the  people  who 
are  to  inhabit  this  mountain  region  of  the  Conti- 
nent. Its  wonders  are  just  beginning  to  be  told. 
They  have  yet  to  become  known.  When  fully 
realized,  the  overcrowded  population  of  the  East 
.<rill  be  drawn  to  it  as  the  magnet  draws  the 
iron ;  the  wilderness  will  bud  and  blossom  as  the 
rose,  and  a  State  will  rise  from  the  ground  now 
roamed  over  by  wild  beasts  and  tenanted  by 
savages. 

The  Tony ue  River  Country. — This  is  sim- 
ilar in  some  of  its  general  features  to  that  border- 
ing the  Powder  River,  with  this  exception, — the 
soil  is  said  to  be  more  fertile  and  better  adapted  to 
agricultural  pursuits.  The  Tongue  River  rises  in 
the  Big  Horn  Mountains,  in  the  central  portion 
of  northern  Wyoming,  and  runs  north  into  the 
Yellowstone  River.  It  abounds  in  the  usual 
varieties  of  fish,  and  game  is  abundant  along  its 

6 


banks.  It  is  a  very  crooked  stream, — its  ways 
being  more  devious  than  those  of  a  modern  whis- 
ky-maker. It  only  awaits  the  advent  of  white 
men  and  women  to  become  an  empire  of  itself. 
A  ready  outlet  to  the  best  stock-markets  in  the 
country  is  needed  to  render  it  accessible  and 
always  open. 

Hazard — is  522.4  miles  from  Omaha,  with 
an  elevation  of  6,325  feet.  It  is  a  side  track  and 
telegraph  station,  and  there  is  a  sheep  ranche  near 
by.  As  you  leave  Cheyenne,  looking  off  to  the 
right,  you  will  see  the  Black  Hills  of  Wyoming 
stretching  to  the  north,  and  you  will  wonder  how 
you  are  to  get  by  them.  To  the  left,  Long's 
Peak  rears  its  snow-capped  summit  high  into  the 
air.  It  is  one  of  the  famous  mountains  of  Colo- 
rado, and  you  have  a  better  view  of  it  on  the 
Denver  Pacific  Road  than  from  the  Union  Pacific. 
It  is  always  crowned  with  snow  and  frequently 
obscured  by  clouds.  Plow  grand  it  looks,  and 
how  huge  it  appears  in  the  distance.  After 
leaving  Hazard,  the  road  enters  a  "  draw,"  or 
ravine,  and  the  monotony  of  the  scenery  over  the 
plains  is  past.  From  this  place  on,  the  mount- 
ains will  be  constantly  in  sight.  The  next  sta- 
tion is 

Otto,— 530.6  miles  from  Omaha,  and  6,724 
feet  above  the  sea.  Here,  looking  to  the  right, 
you  will  see  an  old  road-bed,  partly  graded.  It 
was  abandoned  and  the  track  was  laid  on  the 
present  grade.  Every  opportunity  for  obtaining 
the  rugged  views,  both  to  the  right  and  left, 
should  be  observed  and  taken  advantage  of. 
The  station  itself  is  simply  a  side  track  with  tel- 
egraph office. 

Granite  Canon — is  the  next  station,  535.6 
miles  from  Omaha,  and  7,298  feet  in  altitude. 
You  approach  this  station  high  upon  the  side  of 
a  ravine,  and  through  deep  cuts  in  granite  spurs. 
Stunted  pines,  like  lone  sentinels,  are  seen  on  the 
bleak  hills,  where  they  have  for  ages  withstood 
the  frosts  of  time.  The  station  has  a  few  houses, 
a  lime  kiln,  telegraph  office,  and  the  accompany- 
ing side  track  where  trains  meet  and  pass.  The 
cuts,  through  a  reddish  granite,  are  short  but 
very  heavy.  Snow  sheds  are  now  quite  frequent. 

Jtiuford,  —  542.5  miles  from  Omaha;  eleva- 
tion, 7,780  feet.  It  is  a  telegraph  station.  As 
you  leave  it  on  your  left,  the  "  Twin  Mountains,' 
two  peaks  in  the  Black  Hills,  lift  their  rocky 
heads  above  the  barren  waste  around  them. 
Near  these  mountains  the  noted  desperado,  Jack 
Slade,  once  had  his  retreat.  The  country  here  is 
covered  with  short  buffalo  grass,  cut  with  ravines 
and  drajvs,  abounding  in  fine  springs,  and  in 
places,  covered  with  pine  trees.  The  dark  hues 
of  the  pine  give  the  hills  their  name,  "black," 
and  in  places  the  timber  is  quite  heavy.  A  short 
distance  to  your  right,  Crow  Creek  rises  and 
winds  its  way  among  the  hills  to  the  plains  be- 
low. Four  and  a  half  miles  north  from  Buford, 
near  the  valley  of  Crow  Creek,  mines  of  copper 


82 


and  silver  have  been  discovered.  The  ore  assays 
over  $ 50  per  ton,  but  is  very  refractory.  It  M  LI 
eventually  become  a  silver  mine,  as  the  copper  in 
nearly  all  such  cases  runs  out. 

Sherman — is  549.2  miles  from  Omaha,  at  an 
elevation  of  8,242  feet.  At  the  time  the  road 
was  completed  here,  it  was  the  highest  railroad 
point  in  the  world,  but  there  are  higher  places 
now  reached  by  rail  in  South  America.  It  has 
been  reached  by  an  ascent  so  gradual  that  you 
have  hardly  noticed  it.  In  the  past  few  years 
there  have  been  many  changes  in  grade  of  the 
Union  Pacific,  and  wherever  possible,  the  track 
has  been  raised  above  the  cuts,  so  the  snow, 
unless  in  immense  quantities,  now  causes  but 
little  impediment  to  travel.  At  Sherman,  the 
snow  never  falls  very  deep,  but  there  is  a  con- 


mile,  and  the  maximum  grade  of  any  one  mile 
is  90  feet.  From  Sherman  to  Laramie,  the  dis- 
tance is  23.4  miles ;  the  average  grade  is  50  feet 
to  the  mile,  while  the  maximum  grade  of  any 
one  mile  is  the  same  as  on  the  eastern  slope — 90 
feet  to  the  mile.  These  grades  indicate  why 
this  route  across  the  Black  Hills  was  selected  in 
preference  to  others  where  the  altitude  was  not 
as  great — the  approach  on  either  side  being  more 
gradual,  though  the  elevation  is  greater.  Nearly 
all  trains  between  Cheyenne  and  Laramie  have 
two  engines  attached  so  that  they  may  be  easily 
controlled.  It  is  a  steady  pull  to  the  summit, 
from  each  side,  and  the  heavy  down  grades  from 
it  require  a  great  deal  of  power  to  properly  con- 
trol trains.  About  £  mile  west  of  Sherman  on 
the  left  side  of  the  road,  is  "Reed's  Rock,"  so 


SKULL  ROCKS, 

stant  breeze,  that  most  Eastern  people  would 
pronounce  a  gale,  and  the  snow  is  constantly 
drifting  and  packs  so  hard  wherever  it  finds 
lodgment,  that  it  is  exceedingly  difficult  to  dis- 
place, requiring  an  immense  power  of  snow- 
plows,  engines  and  shovelers.  As  you  approach 
Sherman,  you  will  see  the  balanced  rocks,  and  to 
the  right  of  the  station,  about  one-quarter  of  a 
mile,  is  a  rugged  peak,  near  which  are  graves  of 
some  who  are  quietly  sleeping  so  near  heaven, 
and  a  solitary  pine  tree,  like  a  sentinel  keeping 
guard  over  them.  Sherman  is  a  telegraph  sta- 
tion, has  a  hotel,  one  or  two  saloons,  several 
houses,  and  a  roundhouse  where  an  engine  is 
kept  for  use  in  eases  of  emergency.  The  differ- 
ence in  elevation  between  this  place  and  Chey- 
enne is  2,201  feet,  and  distance  nearly  33  miles. 
The  average  grade  from  Cheyenne  is  67  feet  per 


NEAR   SHERMAN. 

called  from  one  of  the  civil  engineers  who  laid 
out  the  road.  Something  like  two  hundred 
feet  to  the  eastward  of  the  station,  and  on 
the  north  side  of  the  track,  there  may  be 
seen  a  post,  bearing  the  important  announce- 
ment that  this  is  the  "  Summit  of  the  Rocky 
Mountains.'" 

Dale  Creek  Bridge — is  about  two  miles 
west  of  Sherman.  This  bridge  is  built  of  iron, 
arid  seems  to  be  a  light  airy  structure,  but  is 
really  very  substantial.  The  creek,  like  a  thread 
of  silver,  winds  its  devious  way  in  the  depths  be- 
low, and  is  soon  lost  to  sight  as  you  pass  rapidly 
down  the  grade  and  through  the  granite  cuts  and 
snow  sheds  beyond.  This  bridge  is  650  feet  long, 
and  nearly  130  feet  high,  and  is  one  of  the  won- 
ders on  the  great  trans-continental  route.  A 
water  tank,  just  beyond  it,  is  supplied  with  water 


83 


DALE  CREEK  BRIDGE. 


from  the  creek  by  means  of  a  steam  pump.  The 
buildings  in  the  valley  below  seem  small  in  the 
distance,  though  they  are  not  a  great  way  off. 
The  old  wagon  road  crossed  the  creek  down  a 
ravine,  on  the  right  side  of  the  track,  and  the 
remains  of  the  bridge  may  still  be  seen.  This 
stream  rises  about  six  miles  north  of  the  bridge, 
and  is  fed  by  numerous  springs  and  tributaries, 
running  in  a  general  southerly  direction,  until  it 
empties  into  the  Cache  La  Poudre  River.  The 
old  overland  road  from  Denver  to  California 
ascended  this  river  and  creek  until  it  struck 
the  head- waters  of  the  Laramie.  Leaving  Dale 
Creek  bridge,  the  road  soon  turns  to  the  right, 
and  before  you,  on  the  left,  is  spread  out,  like  a 
magnificent  panorama, 

The  Great  Laramie  Plains.  —  These 
plains  have  an  average  width  of  40  miles,  and 
are  100  miles  in  length.  They  begin  at  the 
western  base  of  the  Black  Hills  and  extend  to 
the  slope  of  the  Medicine  Bow  Mountains,  and 
north  beyond  where  the  Laramie  River  cuts 
its  way  through  these  hills  to  join  its  waters 
with  the  North  Platte.  They  comprise  an  area 
of  over  two  and  a  half  millions  of  acres,  and 
are  regarded  as  one  of  the  richest  grazing  por- 
tions of  country.  Across  these  plains,  and  a. 
little  to  the  left,  as  you  begin  to  glide  over  them, 
rises  ,in  full  view  the  Diamond  Peaks  of  the 
Medicine  Bow  Range.  They  are  trim  and  clear- 
cut  cones,  with  sharp  pointed  summits — a  fact 
which  has  given  them  their  name,  while  their 
sides,  and  the  rugged  hills  around  them,  are  cov- 
ered with  timber.  Still  farther  in  the  shadowy 
distance,  in  a  south-westerly  direction,  if  the 
atmosphere  is  clear,  you  will  see  the  white  sum- 
mits of  the  Snowy  Range — white  with  their 
robes  of  perpetual  snow.  Even  in  the  hottest 
weather  experienced  on  these  plains,  it  makes 


one  feel  chilly  to  look  at  them,  they  are  so  cold, 
cheerless  and  forbidding. 

In  the  hills  we  have  just  passed,  there  is  an 
abundance  of  game,  such  as  mountain  sheep, 
bear,  antelope,  and  an  occasional  mountain  lion, 
while  Dale  Creek  and  all  the  little  brooks  which 
flow  into  the  South  Platte  River  are  filled  with 
trout.  The  speckled  beauties  are  not  found 
however,  in  the  streams  which  flow  into  the 
North  Platte.  This  is  a  well-established  fact, 
and  we  have  yet  failed  to  discover  any  satisfac- 
tory reason  for  it,  though  some  of  these  brooks, 
flowing  in  opposite  directions,  head  not  more 
than  fifty  yards  apart. 

Skull  Itocks. — These  rocks,  found  near  Dale 
Creek,  are  excellent  samples  of  the  granite  rocks 
which  are  so  abundant  in  this  section,  and  show 
how  they  bear  the  effects  of  the  severe  weather. 
All  the  massive  rocks,  which,  like  the  ruins  of 
old  castles,  are  scattered  all  over  the  Black  Hills, 
were  once  angular  in  form,  and  square  masses, 
which  in  time  have  been  worn  to  their  present 
forms  by  the  disintegrating  effects  of  the  atmos- 
phere. 

Tie-Sff7!iif/, — 555.2  miles  from  Omaha;  ele- 
vation, 7,985  feet.  This  is  a  telegraph  station, 
A  well-worn  and  much  traveled  road  leads 
hence  across  the  prairies  southward  to  the 
mountains  of  Diamond  Peaks,  in  the  neigh- 
borhood of  which  are  obtained  ties,,  fence- 
poles  and  wood.  There  are  a  few  houses, 
and  the  inevitable  saloon — houses  occupied  most- 
ly by  w'oodchoppers  and  teamsters — while  -the 
saloons  generally  take  the  most  of  their  money. 
A  short  distance  from  this  station  two  soldiers 
of  an  Iowa  cavalry  regiment  were  killed  by  In- 
dians at  the  overland  stage  station,  in  1865.  The 
pine  board  and  mound  which  marks  their  resting- 
place  will  soon  disappear,  and  there  will  be  noth- 


84 


ing  left  to  mark  the  spot  where  they  fell.  Near 
Tie-Siding  are  extensive  ranches  occupied  by 
sheep  during  the  summer.  The  general  direction 
of  the  traveler  is  now  north.  In  fact,  after  leav- 
ing Dale  Creek  bridge,  you  turn  towards  the 
north,  and  continue  in  that  direction,  sometimes 
even  making  a  little  east,  until  you  pass  Rock 
Creek  Station,  a  distance  of  about  seventy  miles 
by  rail.  We  have  now  fairly  entered  upon  the 
great  Laramie  Plains.  The  next  station  is 

Hartley, — simply  a  side  track,  559.3  miles 
from  the  eastern  terminus,  with  an  elevation  of 
7,857  feet.  We  are  going  down  grade  now  pretty 
fast.  The  old  stage  road  can  be  seen  to  the  left, 
and  the  higher  mountains  of  the  Medicine  Bow 
Range  shut  in  the  western  view. 

Red  Buttes, — near  the  base  of  the  western 
slope  of  the  Black  Hills — is  563.8  miles  from 
Omaha;  elevation,  7,336  feet.  So-called  from 
the  reddish  color  of  the  Buttes  between  Harney 
and  this  place,  on  the  right  side  of  the  track. 
This  red  appearance  of  the  soil  on  both  hill  and 
plain,  indicates  the  presence  of  iron.  It  would 
seem  that  at  some  remote  period  the  whole  valley 
was  on  a  level  with  the  top  of  these  Buttes,  and 
they,  composed  of  harder  and  more  cohesive  sub- 
stance than  the  soil  around,  have  withstood  the 
drain  and  wash  of  ages,  while  it  has  settled 
away.  They  are  of  all  sorts  of  shapes.  The 
nearest  about  half  a  mile  from  the  track,  and  ex- 
cite no  little  interest  from  their  peculiar  forms, 
in  the  mind  of  the  traveler  who  is  at  all  curious 
on  such  subjects ;  some  of  them  are  isolated, 
and  then  again  you  will  see  them  in  groups. 
There  are  quite  a  number  in  sight  from  the  car 
windows,  and  their  close  inspection  would  war- 
rant the  tourist  in  stopping  at  Laramie  and 
making  them  and  other  objects  in  the  vicinity  a 
visit.  Red  Buttes  is  a  telegraph  station,  with  a 
few  settlers  in  the  neighborhood.  These  plains 
have  been  called  the  paradise  for  sheep ;  but  of 
this  subject  we  will  speak  in  another  place. 

Fort  Sanders,— 570.3  miles  from  Omaha; 
elevation  7,163  feet.  This  is  a  station  for  the 
military  post  which  was  established  here  in  June, 
1866,  by  Col.  H.  M.  Mizner  of  the  18th  United 
States  Infantry.  Its  buildings  for  both  officers 
and  men  are  mainly  of  logs,  and  many  of  them 
are  both  substantial  and  comfortable.  The  post 
can  be  seen  from  a  long  distance  in  every 
direction ;  is  close  to  the  track  and  on  the  old 
military  road  leading  across  the  Black  Hills  by 
way  of  Cheyenne  Pass  to  Fort  Walbach  at  the 
eastern  base  of  the  hills,  now  abandoned,  and  to 
the  military  posts  near  Cheyenne.  It  will  prob- 
ably be  abandoned  in  a  short  time. 

Laramie — is  572.8  miles  from  Omaha,  and 
7,123  feet  above  the  sea.  It  is  the  end  of  a  divi- 
sion of  the  Union  Pacific  Railroad,  one  of  the 
largest  towns  on  the  road,  has  large  machine  and 
repair  shops,  and  is  destined  to  become  from  its 
mining  and  manufacturing  capacities  yet  unde- 


veloped, the  largest  city  on  the  road  in  Wyoming. 
It  is  located  on  the  Laramie  River,  in  the  midst 
of  the  Laramie  Plains,  has  fully  3,000  people,  is 
the  county-seat  of  Albany  County,  has  numerous 
churches  and  schools,  several  public  buildings, 
brick  and  stone  blocks,  with  streets  regularly  laid 
out  at  right  angles  to  the  railroad ;  is  well  wa- 
tered from  one  of  the  mountain  streams  in  the 
vicinity,  and  altogether  is  one  of  the  most  promis- 
ing towns  on  the  line  of  the  road.  It  is  called 
the  "Gem  city  of  the  Mountains,"  and  its  alti- 
tude and  close  proximity  to  the  hills  behind  it 
give  it  a  fair  show  for  the  name.  The  rolling 
mills  of  the  company,  giving  employment  to  from 
150  to  300  men,  are  located  and  in  operation 
here,  in  the  northern  limits  of  the  city.  It  is  ex- 
pected and  understood  that  a  foundry  and  smelt- 
ing works  for  reducing  iron  ore  will  soon  be 
established  in  connection  with  the  rolling  mills. 
At  present  these  mills  have  all  they  can  do  in  re- 
rolling  the  worn  out  rails  of  the  track,  which  are 
brought  here  for  that  purpose.  The  water-power 
in  the  Laramie  River  will  also  soon  be  utilized  in 
the  erection  of  woolen  mills  and  factories  for  re- 
fining soda  and  other  minerals  with  which  this 
country  abounds.  The  mineral  resources  of  Wy- 
oming have  not  been  developed.  The  slight  ex- 
plorations which  have  thus  far  been  made  only 
demonstrate  the  fact  of  their  existence  in  untold 
quantities.  Laramie,  for  instance,  has  within  a 
radius  of  thirty  miles  the  following  named  mine- 
rals :  Antimony,  cinnabar,  gold,  silver,  copper, 
lead,  plumbago,  iron,  red  hematite  iron,  brown 
hematite,  specular  iron,  sulphate  of  soda,  gypsum, 
kaolin  or  porcelain  clay,  fire  clay,  brick  clay, 
coal,  sand,  limestone,  fine  quality,  sandstone  for 
building  purposes  within  two  miles  of  the  city, 
and  good  wagon  roads  to  all  the  places  where 
these  materials  are  found.  Laramie,  from  its 
location  and  surroundings,  must  become  a  manu- 
facturing city,  and  upon  this  fact  we  base  the 
prophecy  of  its  future  greatness  and  prosperity. 
There  are  lakes  of  soda  within  the  distance  named 
that  must  soon  be  utilized.  A  simple  chemical 
process  only  is  required  to  render  this  article  into 
the  soda  of  commerce — immense  quantities  of 
which  are  used  in  this  country  annually,  and  most 
of  it  comes  from  foreign  countries.  It  is  expect- 
ed that  a  soda  factory  will  be  started  at  Laramie 
within  the  next  year. 

Slteep-Kaisitig. — We  have  before  remarked 
that  the  Laramie  Plains  were  a  paradise  for 
sheep.  The  success  which  has  attended  sheep 
husbandry  on  these  plains  sufficiently  attests  this 
fact.  It  is  true,  first  efforts  were  not  as  success- 
ful as  they  should  have  been,  but  this  is  reason- 
ably accounted  for  in  the  lack  of  experience  of 
those  who  engaged  in  it,  and  a  want  of  knowledge 
of  the  peculiarities  of  the  climate.  It  has  gene- 
rally been  claimed  that  sheep  will  live  and  do  . 
well  where  antelope  thrive.  While  this  theory 
holds  good  in  the  main,  it  has  nevertheless  been 


85 


ascertained  that  sheep  on  these  plains  require 
hay  and  shelter  in  order  to  be  successfully  carried 
through  the  storms  of  winter.  It  is  also  true 
that  this  hay  may  not  be  needed,  or  but  a  little  of 
it  used,  but  every  preparation  for  safety  requires 
that  it  should  be  on  hand  to  be  used  if  necessary. 
The  winter  is  rare  indeed,  in  this  locality,  that 
makes  twenty  successive  days'  feeding  a  necessity. 
Usually  the  storms  last  two  or  three  days,  per- 
haps not  as  long,  when  hay  and  shelter  are  re- 
quired. Another  fact  about  this  business  is  that 
the  climate  is  healthy,  and  seems  especially  adapt- 
ed to  sheep.  If  brought  here  in  a  sound  and 
healthy  condition,  they  will  remain  so  with  ordi- 
nary care,  and  the  climate  alone  has  been  effec- 
tual in  curing  some  of  the  diseases  to  which  they 
are  subject.  Within  the  last  few  years  a  great 
number  of  men  have  invested  capital  in  sheep 
husbandry  in  the  vicinity  of  Laramie,  and  with- 
out an  exception  they  have  done  well  where  their 
flocks  have  received  the  requisite  attention  and 
care.  Among  the  shepherd  kings  of  the  plains 
may  be  mentioned  the  firms  of  Willard  &  Ken- 
nedy, King  &  Lane,  Rumsey  &  Co.,  T.  J.  Fisher 
&  Co.,  and  others.  The  firm  first  named  have 
about  6,000  in  their  flock,  and  have  accommoda- 
tions at  their  different  ranches  for  10,000  sheep. 
They  place  this  number  as  the  limit  of  their 
flock.  Their  home  ranche  is  on  the  Laramie 
River,  about  twenty  miles  due  west  from  the 
city,  and  is  worthy  of  a  visit  from  any  traveler 
who  desires  information  on  the  subject.  They 
are  Boston  men,  and  are  meeting  with  success  be- 
cause they  give  their  personal  care  and  attention 
to  the  business.  Their  sheep  are  divided  into 
flocks  of  about  2,500  each ;  this  number  is  all 
that  can  be  well  cared  for  in  a  flock.  One  man, 
a  pony  and  one  or  two  good  shepherd  dogs  are  all 
that  are  necessary  to  care  for  a  flock,  though 
some  flocks  are  cared  for  without  the  pony  or 
dogs.  Mexican  herders  or  shepherds  are  con- 
sidered the  best,  and  usually  cost  about  f  25  per 
month  and  board.  They  have  long  been  accus- 
tomed to  the  business  in  New  Mexico,  and  the 
most  of  them  don't  know  enough  to  do  anything 
else.  The  wool  of  graded  sheep  will  usually  more 
than  pay  all  the  expenses  of  the  flock,  leaving 
the  increase  as  clear  profit,  and  the  increase  de- 
pends to  a  large  extent  on  how  well  the  flock  is 
managed ;  it  is  ordinarily  80  per  cent.  Some 
have  had  au  increase  of  their  flocks  as  large  as 
90  per  cent.,  others  as  low  as  60  per  cent.  Some 
of  the  successful  sheep  men  have  begun  their 
flocks  with  Spanish  Merinos,  others  with  French 
Merinos,  others  with  Cotswolds,  and  others  still 
with  Mexican  sheep.  These  last  are  very  hardy ; 
have  small  bodies  and  coarse  wool.  The  ewes 
are  usually  good  mothers,  and  all  of  them  will 
hunt  and  dig  through  the  snow  for  grass,  while 
other  breeds  would  not.  Mexican  sheep  will  live 
and  thrive  where  tenderly  raised  eastern  sheep 
will  die.  They  are  cheap  and  easily  graded  up. 


On  the  other  hand,  when  once  acclimated,  graded 
sheep  cost  no  more  care  than  others,  and  their 
wool  will  bring  double  the  price  in  the  market. 
Each  class  of  sheep  has  its  advocates  on  these 
plains,  and  each  class  has  been  successful.  As  an 
illustration  of  what  care  and  attention  will  do 
in  the  sheep  business,  we  call  attention  to  the 
facts  and  figures  in  the  case  of  T.  J.  Fisher  & 
Co.,  quoting  from  memory.  In  August,  1873, 
Mr.  Fisher  bought  some  690  ewes.  At  the  end  of 
the  first  year  he  had  a  few  over  1,300  sheep  and 
lambs,  together  with  the  wool  clip  from  the  origi- 
nal number  purchased,  in  the  spring  of  1874.  At 
the  end  of  the  second  year,  in  August,  1875,  he 
had  over  1,900  sheep  and  lambs,  together  with 
the  wool  clip  in  the  spring  of  that  year.  His 
sheep  being  graded,  the  wool  more  than  paid  all 
expenses  of  herding,  cutting  hay,  corrals,  etc. 
His  ranche  is  on  the  Little  Laramie  River,  some 
fourteen  miles  from  the  city.  While  nearly  all 
who  have  entered  upon  this  business  have  been  re- 
markably successful,  so  far  as  we  are  able  to  learn, 
Mr.  Fisher  has  been  the  most  successful,  in  pro- 
portion to  the  capital  invested.  Tourists  desir- 
ing further  information  on  this  subject  will  do 
well  to  visit  his  ranche  and  inspect  his  method 
of  conducting  the  business.  Messrs.  King  & 
Lane,  and  Rumsey  &  Co.,  have  some  very  fine 
Cotswold  and  Merino  sheep,  and  a  visit  to  their 
flocks  will  abundantly  reward  any  one  who  de- 
sires further  information  on  the  subject. 

Stock  Statistics.  — The  total  number  of 
stock  grazing  on  the  plains  of  Laramie  County, 
January  1,  1876,  was  as  follows  : 

Sheep,  78,322  head,  worth  $3,    value,   $234,966 

Horned  cattle.       87.001)    "         "        20,        "       1,740,000 
Horses  and  mules,  2,600     "         "        50,        "          130,000 

Total,  $2,104,906 

The  average  weight  of  fleece  of  sheep  sheared 
last  spring,  was  9  Ibs.  per  sheep.  The  average 
increase  in  flocks  is  60  to  90  per  cent,  per  annum, 
and  the  average  increase  of  capital,  is  50  to  60 
per  cent,  per  year. 

Sheep  husbandry  is  destined  to  become  the 
feature  of  the  Laramie  Plains,  and  the  wool 
which  will  soon  be  raised  in  this  vicinity  will  keep 
thousands  of  spindles  in  motion  near  the  very 
place  where  it  is  produced,  thus  saving  to  both 
producer  and  consumer  vast  sums  which  are  now 
lost  in  transportation. 

Early  Times. — In  April,  1868,  the  first  town 
lots  in  Laramie  were  sold  by  the  railroad  com- 
pany. There  was  a  great  rush  for  town  lots — 
excitement  ran  very  high,  and  the  history  of 
Cheyenp.e  in  this  respect,  where  men  made  for- 
tunes in  a  day,  was  repeated  here.  In  fact,  a 
month  or  two  prior  to  the  beginning  of  the  sale, 
the  town  site  was  covered  with  tents,  wagons, 
dugouts,  etc.,  of  parties  waiting  for  the  day  of 
sale.  WTith  that  sale,  the  settlement  of  the  town 
began.  The  first  week,  over  400  lots  sold  and 
building  began  rapidly.  In  less  than  two  weeks 


86 


something  over  500  buildings  and  structures  of 
some  kind  had  been  erected.  This  was  an  ex- 
ample of  western  growth  that  would  astonish  the 
slow-going  denizens  of  the  Atlantic  States.  It  is 
true  these  structures  were  of  a  peculiar  character, 
and  such  as  were  usually  found  in  the  towns  for 
the  time  being  made  the  business  terminus  of  the 
road.  Some  were  of  logs,  some  of  cross-ties,  others 
were  simply  four  posts  set  in  the  ground  with  can- 
vas sides  and  roofs.  Others  still  were  made  of 
boards,  in  sections,  and  easy  to  be  moved  when 
the  next  terminus  should  be  made  known. 

The  iron  rails  that  were  soon  to  bear  the  iron 
horse  were  laid  past  the  town  on  the  9th  day  of 
May,  1868,  and  on  the  day  following,  the  first 
train  arrived  and  discharged  its  freight.  Lara- 
mie  maintained  the  character  of  all  these  west- 


who  were  respectable,  and  who  desired  to  do  a 
legitimate  business  could  not  endure  for  a  long 
time,  the  presence  and  rascalities  of  these  border 
characters.  There  being  no  law  in  force,  the 
next  best  thing  was  a  resort  to  "lynch  law." 
This  was  the  experience  of  Laramie. 

Laramie  is  now  an  orderly,  well-governed  city, 
where  the  rights  of  person  and  property  are  re- 
spected, and  forcibly  reminds  one  of  the  quiet 
towns  in  the  East.  All  saloons  and  other  places 
of  like  character,  are  closed  on  the  Sabbath,  the 
churches  are  well  attended,  and  the  schools  are  lib- 
erally patronized.  It  is  one  of  the  most  attrac- 
tive towns  on  the  line  of  the  Union  Pacific 
road,  and  offers  many  advantages  to  those  who 
desire,  for  any  reason,  a  change  of  location. 

In  addition  to  other  public  institutions   else- 


EARLY  MORNING  SCENE   ON  THE  LARAMIE  PLAINS. 


ern  towns  in  the  early  days  of  their  settlement. 
The  same  class  of  human  beings  that  had  popu- 
lated and  depopulated  North  Platte,  Julesburg, 
Cheyenne,  and  other  places,  lived  and  flourished 
hare  until  the  next  move  was  made.  They  were 
gamblers,  thieves,  prostitutes,  murderers  —  bad 
man  and  woman  of  every  calling  and  description 
undar  the  heavens,  and  from  almost  every  nation- 
ality on  the  globe — and  when  they  could  prey 
upon  no  one  else,  would,  as  a  matter  of  course, 
prey  upon  each  other.  The  worst  that  has  ever 
been  written  of  these  characters  does  not  depict 
the  whole  truth ;  thay  were,  in  many  cases,  out- 
laws from  the  East — fled  to  escape  the  conse- 
quences of  crimes  committed  there,  and  each 
man  was  a  law  unto  himself.  Armed  to  the  very 
teath,  it  was  simply  a  word  and  a  shot,  and 
many  times  the  shot  came  first.  Of  course  those 


where  mentioned,  Laramie  has  the  location  of 
the  territorial  penitentiary,  a  small  wing  of 
which  is  already  constructed,  and  which  is 
plainly  visible  only  a  short  distance  west  of  the 
railroad  track.  A  good  hotel  is  kept  at  the 
old  depot.  For  years  it  was  a  regubir  dining 
station,  and  is  still  one  of  the  most  important 
and  interesting  places  on  the  Omaha  route, 
but  the  dining  station  has  recently  been  trans- 
ferred to  Rock  Creek,  fifty-two  miles  farther 
west,  the  better  to  accommodate  the  hour  of  din- 
ing to  the  wants  of  travelers.  A  manufactory 
for  soda  is  talked  of,  and  if  the  mines  of  this  ar- 
ticle are  properly  developed,  Laramie  will  soon 
supply  the  world  with  soda  enough  to  raise,  not 
only  biscuits  and  bread,  but  no  small  sum  of. 
money  as  a  return  for  the  investment.  The 
rolling  mills  and  machine  and  repair  shops  of 


87 


the  company  are  sources  of  perpetual  trade  and 
income,  and  must  of  necessity  increase  with  the 
annually  increasing  business  of  the  company.  A 
visit  to  the  soda  lakes,  gold  mines,  Iron  Mount- 
ain, Red  Buttes  and  other  places  of  interest  in 
the  vicinity,  together  with  good  hotel  accommo- 
dations, will  sure- 
ly lure  the  trav- 
eler to  spend  a 
few  days  in  this 
"  Gem  city  of  the 
Mountains." 

Li  a  r  a  in  i  e 
Peak.— This  is 
the  highest  peak 
of  the  Black  Hills 
Range  in  Wyom- 
ing and  Colorado, 
north  of  Long's 
Peak,  and  is  about 
10,000  feet  high. 
The  Hayden  ex- 
ploring party, 
who  were  en- 
camped at  its 
base,  describe  wit- 
nessing a  sunset 
scene  of  rare 
beauty.  The  sun 
passed  down  di- 
rectly behind  the 
summit  of  Lara- 
mie  Peak.  The 
whole  range  of 
mountains  was 
gilded  with  a 
golden  light,  and 
the  haziness  of  the 
atmosphere  gave 
to  the  whole  scene 
a  deeper  beauty. 
The  valleys  at  the 
base  of  the  Cotton- 
wood  and  Laramie 
Rivers  are  full  of 
pleasant  little 
streams  and 
grassy  plains. 
Sometimes  these 
valleys  expand 
out  into  beautiful 
oval  park-like 
areas,  which  are 
favorite  resorts  of 
wild  game,  and 
would  be  exceedingly  desirable  for  settlements. 
Emigrants  would  find  here  beautiful  scenery, 
pure  air  and  water,  and  a  mild  and  extremely 
healthy  climate.  Cereals  and  roots  could  be  easily 
raised,  and  stock-raising  could  be  made  a  source 
of  wealth  to  them  and  the  whole  community. 

The  Windmills  of  the  Union  Pacific 


HUNTING  IN  THE  KOOKY  MOUNTAINS. 


Railroad. — The  traveler  notices  with  interest 
the  ever  frequent  windmills  which  appear  at 
every  station,  and  are  such  prominent  objects 
over  the  broad  prairies.  They  are  used  for  sup- 
plying the  locomotives  and  station  houses  with 
water.  Probably  no  finer  specimens  exist  in  the 

United  States  than 
are  found  on  the 
lines  of  this  road. 
In  these  tanks 
is  a  large  hollow 
globe  floating  in 
the  water.  These 
globes  are  so  con- 
nected with  lev- 
el's that  when  the 
water  has  reached 
a  certain  height, 
the  slats  or  fans 
are  thrown  in  line 
with  the  wind,  and 
the  machine  stops. 
As  the  water  is 
drawn  off  for  sup- 
plying the  locomo- 
tives, the  ball  falls, 
and  the  machine 
is  again  put  in  mo- 
tion. They  are 
thus  self-regula- 
ting and  self-act- 
ing. The  water  is 
thrown  up  by  a 
forcing  pump.  A 
curious  fact  may 
be  here  mention- 
ed. These  tanks, 
when  closely  cov- 
ered, have  thus  far 
proved  that  there 
is  enough  caloric 
in  the  water  to 
prevent  it  from 
freezing. 

Wind  River 
Mountains. — 
These  mountains, 
seen  on  the  map 
and  just  north  of 
the  railroad,  are 
destined  soon  to 
celebrity,  for  their 
mining  value,  al- 
though as  yet  but 
partially  explored. 
Two  well-known  peaks  rise  among  them,  Fre- 
mont's Peak  and  Snow's  Peak,  the  latter  being  the 
highest;  its  elevation  is  given  by  Fremont  as  13.570 
feet.  The  mountains  are  filled  with  a  dense 
growth  of  a  species  of  the  nut  pine,  which  fur- 
nishes food  for  innumerable  birds  and  squirrels, 
and  supplies  the  Indians  with  their  favorite  food. 


88 


Indian  Burial  Tree. — Among  the  Indian 
tribes  there  are  quite  a  number  whose  custom  is 
to  honor  their  dead  with  burial  places  in.  the  tops 
of  favored  trees.  The  Comanches,  Apaches, 
Cheyennes,  Arrapahoes  and  Kiowas  all  do  this. 
After  an  Indian  is  dead,  his  corpse  is  securely 
wrapped  like  a  mummy ;  with  it  are  put  food, 
arms,  tobacco,  etc., — which  its  spirit  is  supposed  to 
want  in  his  trip  to  the  happy  hunting-ground, — 
and  the  whole  covered  with  an  outer  covering 
made  of  willows.  All  the  Indians  of  the  tribe 
celebrate  mourning  both  before  and  after  this  is 
done ;  then  the  body  is  placed  upon  a  platform, 
constructed  in  some  old  tree,  usually  a  large  cot- 
ton-wood. The  feet  of  the  departed  Indian  are 
turned  with  care  to  the  southward,  for  thither 
resides  the  Great  Spirit, — so  the  Indians  say — 
and  thither  he  is  going.  In  some  of  their  favor- 


Wyoming.  They  are  really  the  first  range  of 
the  Rockies.  They  begin  at  the  valley  of  the 
North  Platte  River,  directly  south  of  Fort  Fet- 
terman,  and  unite  with  the  Medicine  Bow  Range 
in  northern  Colorado,  south-west  from  Sherman. 
Laramie  Peak  and  Reed's  Peak,  north  of  the 
Laramie  Canon,  are  the  highest  peaks  in  this 
range.  The  waters  which  flow  from  them  east  of 
the  Black  Hills,  and  those  which  flow  west  from 
the  Medicine  Bow  Range,  all  unite  in  the  North 
Piatte  River,  which  describes  a  half  circle  around 
their  northern  extremity,  and  then  flows  east- 
ward to  the  Missouri  River.  This  range  of 
mountains,  as  before  stated,  is  crossed  at  Sher- 
man. They  have  not  been  prospected  to  any 
great  extent  for  the  precious  metals,  but  gold, 
silver,  copper,  iron  and  other  minerals  are  known 
to  exist.  Iron  is  found  in  large  quantities. 


INDIAN  BURIAL  TREE,  NEAR  FORT  LARAMIE. 


ifce  groves,  as  many  as  eight  or  ten  bodies  have 
been  found  in  a  single  tree.  Another  mode  of 
burial  is  to  erect  a  scaffold  on  some  prominent 
knoll  or  bluff.  These  customs  are  prevalent 
among  those  Indian  tribes  which  are  most  rov- 
ing, and  live  in  the  saddle.  "  Foot  Indians," 
those  which  inhabit  the  plains,  and  are  peaceable, 
most  invariably  bury  their  dead  in  the  ground — 
always,  however,  accompanied  with  such  good 
things  as  he  will  need  in  his  trips  thereafter  in 
the  new  hunting-grounds. 

The  Black  Hills  of  Wyoming,  and  the 
Medicine  Bow  Mange. — In  going  west,  the 
first  range  of  real  mountains  the  traveler  meets 
with  are  what  are  called  the  Black  Hills  of 


About  18  miles  north-east  from  Laramie  is  Iron 
Mountain,  on  the  head  of  Chugwater  Creek.  It 
is  said  to  be  nearly  pure,  and  will  some  day  be 
developed.  There  has  been  talk  of  a  railroad 
from  Cheyenne  with  a  branch  to  this  mountain, 
but  nothing  has  been  done  yet.  In  searching 
for  a  route  for  the  Union  Pacific  Railroad,  a 
survey  of  the  Laramie  Canon  was  made,  but 
it  was  found  to  be  impracticable  for  a  railroad. 
It,  however,  has  grand  scenery,  and  will  become 
a  place  of  resort,  by  tourists,  as  soon  as  the  In- 
dian question  is  settled.  The  Black  Hills  virtu- 
ally connect  with  the  Medicine  Bow  Range  at 
both  extremities,  bearing  to  the  left  around  the 
circle  of  the  North  Platte,  and  to  the  right  south 


89 


MEDICINE  BOW  MOUNTAINS,  FROM  MEDICINE  BOW  RIVER. 


of  Sherman.  The  canons  of  both  the  Laramie 
and  Platte  Rivers  are  rugged  and  grand.  Lara- 
mie Peak  has  an  elevation  of  10,000  feet,  and 
lies  in  plain  view  off  to  the  right  from  Lookout 
to  Medicine  Bow  Stations. 

Crossing  the  Black  Hills,  the  road  strikes  the 
Laramie  Plains,  and  then  the  Medicine  Bow 
Range  rises  grandly  before  you.  At  Laramie 
City — the  road  running  north — you  look  west 
and  behold  Sheep  Mountain  in  front,  whose  sum- 
mit is  10,000  feet  above  the  sea;  to  the  left  of 
this  is  Mt.  Agassiz,  so  named  in  honor  of  the 
distinguished  scientist  who  gave  his  life  to  the 
cause  he  loved  so  well.  To  the  right  of  Sheep 


Mountain,  which  is  in  the  Medicine  Bow  Range, 
you  discover  what  seems  to  be  a  large  depression 
in  the  mountains.  This  is  where  the  Little  Lara- 
mie River  heads,  and  across  it,  to  the  right,  still 
other  peaks  of  this  range  lift  their  snowy  heads. 
The  range  is  now  on  your  left  until  you  pass 
around  its  northern  bend  and  into  the  North 
Platte  galley  again  at  Fort  Steele.  On  the 
northern  extremity,  Elk  Mountain  looms  up,  the 
best  view  of  which  can  be  obtained  as  you  pass 
from  Medicine  Bow  Station  to  Fort  Steele,  pro- 
vided, of  course,  you  look  when  the  foot  hills  do 
not  obscure  your  vision.  The  Medicine  Bow 
Range  is  also  full  of  the  precious  metals,  mostly 


90 


gold,  but  lias  not  been  developed.  The  Centen- 
nial Mine,  located  by  a  party  of  gentlemen  from 
Laramie,  on  the  first  day  of  January,  1875,  is  on 
the  mountain  just  north  of  one  of  the  branches 
of  the  Little  Laramie  River,  and  in  a  clear  day, 
with  a  good  glass,  can  plainly  be  seen  from  Lara- 
mie City.  Nearly  all  the  streams  which  head  in 
the  Medicine  Bow  Mountains  will  show  "  color  " 
to  the  prospector,  but  the  lodes  are  mostly 
"  blind,'"'  and  can  only  be  found  by  persistent 
search.  This  range  is  also  heavily  timbered,  and 
abounds  in  game,  and  except  the  highest  peaks, 
is  free  from  snow  in  the  summer.  The  timber  is 
mostly  pine,  and  immense  quantities  are  annu- 
ally cut  for  railroad  ties,  telegraph  and  fence 
poles  and  wood.  Nearly  every  ranche  on  the 
Laramie  Plains  is  cupplied  with  poles  tor  corrals, 
sheds  and  fences  irom  the  Black  Hills  or  Medi- 
cine Bow  Range.  The  Laramie  Plains  is  the 
great  basin  between  these  two  ranges,  and  the 
road  has  to  pass  northward  a  long  distance  in 
order  to  find  its  way  out.  Leaving  ^he  grand 
views  of  these  mountains,  the  traveler  enters 
upon  a  vast,  dreary  and  unproductive  waste — 
fitly  called  a  desert.  Still  its  rough  and  broken 
'appearance  with  rocks,  hills,  and  mountains  on 
either  side  afford  a  strange  and  pleasant  relief 
from  the  dull  monotony  of  the  eastern  piains. 

Leaving  Laramie  City,  the  track  passes  close 
to  the  company's  rolling  mills,  from  the  tall 
chimneys  of  which  there  are  huge  volumes  of 
black  smoke  and  occasional  flames,  constantly 
belching  forth.  We  soon  cross  the  Laramie 
River  on  a  wooden  truss  bridge,  and  run  along 
near  its  banks  to 

Ifowell, — which  is  a  side  track,  eight  miles 
from  Laramie,  and  580.8  miles  from  Omaha; 
elevation,  7,090  feet.  Passing  over  the  plains, 
walled  in  by  mountains  on  either  side,  we  reach 
the  next  station, 

Wyoming, — over  fifteen  miles  from  Laramie, 
and  588.4  miles  from  Omaha ;  elevation,  7,068 
feet.  Having  reached  the  highest  altitude  on 
the  line  of  the  road  between  the  two  oceans,  at 
Sherman,  you  see  we  are  now  going  down  hill 
a  little,  and  from  this  time  until  we  cross  the 
Sierras,  there  will  be  a  constant  succession  of 
"  ups  and  downs  "  in  our  journey.  Wyoming  is 
on  the  Little  Laramie  River,  which  empties  into 
the  Laramie  River  near  the  station.  It  is  a  tele- 
graph station  with  a  few  houses  in  the  vicinity 
— in  the  midst  of  a  fine  grazing  country,  with 
sheep  and  cattle  ranches  in  sight.  Leaving 
Wyoming,  the  aspect  of  the  country  soon 
changes.  A  bluff  on  the  right  lies  near  the 
track,  the  country  becomes  more  undulating  as 
we  pass  on,  and  the  grass  seems  to  grow  thinner 
except  on  the  bottom  near  the  stream.  Sage 
brush  and  greasewood,  well  known  to  all  frontier 
men,  begin  to  appear.  We  have  seen  a  little  of 
sage  brush  before  in  the  vicinity  of  Julesburg, 
and  Sidney,  and  now  strike  it  again. 


Cooper's  Lake, — 598.{>  miles  from  Omaha, 
with  an  elevation  of  7,044  feet  It  is  a  telegraph 
station  with  the  usual  side  track  and  section- 
houses.  The  station  is  named  from  the  little 
lake  near  by,  which  can  best  be  seen  from  the 
cars  at  the  water  tank,  beyond  the  station.  It 
isn't  much  of  a  *ake,  nor  can  much  of  it  be  seen 
from  the  car  windows.  The  water  is  said  to 
look  very  green  in  the  summer,  and  to  differ  but 
little  in  appearance  from  the  green  grass  which 
surrounds  it.  The  lake  itself  is  about  half  a 
mile  wide,  and  a  mile  and  a  half  long,  and  about 
two  miles  from  the  track,  though  it  does  not 
seem  half  that  distance.  It  is  fed  by  Cooper  and 
Dutton  Creeks,  but  has  no  visible  outlet. 

Lookout, — 607.6  miles  from  Omaha,  and 
about  thirty-five  nines  Irom  Laramie ;  elevation, 
7,16fc)  feet.  The  road  left  what  may  be  called  the 
Laramie  bottom  at  the  last  station,  and  now 
winds  through  a  rolling  country,  which  soon  be- 
comes rough  and  broken,  with  the  sage  brush 
constantly  increasing.  Notice  the  chariges  in 
the  elevation  as  you  pass  alonor. 

Miser, — 615.9  miles  from  Omaha  ;  elevation, 
6,810  feet.  Near  here  coal  has  been  found. 
It  is  in  the  vicinity  of  Rock  Creek,  which  is 
said  to  be  the  eastern  rim  of  the  coal  fields 
discovered  on  this  elevated  plateau,  in  the  mid- 
dle of  the  Continent.  From  the  last  station 
to  this,  and  beyond,  you  have  fine  and  con- 
stantly changing  views  from  the  moving  train, 
of  Laramie  Peak,  away  off  to  the  right,  and 
of  Elk  Mountain  to  the  left.  Sage  brush  is 
the  only  natural  production  of  the  soil  in  this 
region,  and  is  said  to  be  eaten  by  antelope  and 
elk  in  the  absence  of  grass  or  anything  better. 
It  is  also  said  that  sheep  will  feed  upon  it, 
and  that  wherever  antelope  live  and  flourish, 
sheep  will  do  likewise. 

Hock  Creek, — so-called  from  a  creek  of  the 
same  name,  which  the  road  here  crosses ;  624.6 
miles  from  Omaha;  elevation,  6.690  feet.  This 
is  a  regular  eating  station,  instead  of  Laramie. 
The  dining-room  is  beautifully  decorated  with 
flowers,  vines  and  horns  of  game,  a  pretty 
Bay  window  with  blooming  flowers  and  walls 
covered  with  vines,  and  the  display  of  hanging 
baskets,  making  the  meal  one  of  the  most  agree- 
able on  the  road.  Hotel  is  kept  by  Thayer  and 
Hughes. 

The  government  is  surveying  a  new  road  to 
Fort  Fetterman,  to  start  from  Rock  Creek,  in- 
stead of  Medicine  Bow. 

Rock  Creek  rises  in  the  north-eastern  peaks  of 
the  Medicine  Bow  Range,  and  runs  in  that 
direction  to  this  station,  near  which  it  turns  to- 
ward the  west  and  unites  with  Medicine  Bow 
River,  near  Medicine  Bow  Station. 

Wilcox. — A  side  track  for  the  passing  of 
trains,  632.3  miles  from  Omaha,  and  7,033  feet 
above  the  sea.  The  next  station  is 

Como, — named  after  Lake  Como,  which  the 


91 


road  here  passes.  One  peculiarity  of  this  lake 
is  that  it  is  near  Ilock  Creek — separated  from  it 
by  a  ridge  of  hills  estimated  at  200  feet  high, — 
with  no  visible  outlet.  The  station  is  640.2 
miles  from  Omaha,  and  6,680  feet  above  the 
sea.  The  lake  has  been  estimated  to  be  200 
feet  above  the  surface  of  Rock  Creek,  from 
which  it  is  separated  as  above  stated.  It  is 
fed  by  warm  springs,  which  also  supply  the 
water  tank  of  the  company  at  the  station.  In  a 
cold  day  the  steam  from  these  springs  can  be 
seen  at  some  distance.  It  is  also  a  great  resort 
for  ducks,  and  sportsmen  can  obtain  fine  shooting 
here  in  the  proper  season.  If  lizards  are  fish 
with  legs,  then  we  have  fish  with  legs  abounding 
in  this  lake  and  vicinity.  These  animals  are  from 
6  to  18  inches  in  length,  with  a  head  a  good  deal 
like  that  of  a  frog,  and  tufts  or  tassels  where  the 
gills  would  be  on  a  fish.  They  have  four  legs  and 
crawl  around  to  a  certain  extent  on  the  land. 
There  are  two  kinds  of  these  lizards,  one  differ- 
ing from  the  other  in  size  and  color  more  than 
in  shape,  and  either  kind  are  devoured  by  the 
ducks  when  they  can  be  caught.  The  lake  is 
about  one  mile  wide  in  the  widest  place,  and  two 
and  a  half  miles  long. 

Valley  of  the  Chngivater. —  The  Chug- 
water  Valley  is  about  100  miles  long.  It  has 
been  for  many  years  a  favorite  locality  for  winter- 
ing stock,  not  only  on  account  of  the  excellence  of 
the  grass  and  water,  but  also  from  the  fact  that 
the  climate  is  mild  throughout  the  winter.  Cat- 
tle and  horses  thrive  well  all  winter  without  hay 
or  shelter.  The  broad  valley  is  protected  from 
strong  cold  winds  by  high  walls  or  bluffs.  The 
soil  everywhere  is  fertile,  and  wherever  the  sur- 
face can  be  irrigated,  good  crops  of  all  kinds  of 
cereals  and  hardy  vegetables  can  be  raised  with- 
out difficulty. 

In  this  valley  and  near  the  source  of  the 
Chugwater,  are  thousands  of  tons  of  iron  ore, 
indicating  deposits  of  vast  extent  and  rich- 
ness, which  can  be  made  easily  accessible  when- 
ever desirable  to  construct  a  railroad  to  Mon- 
tana. 

Medicine  Bow — is  647.3  miles  from  Omaha ; 
elevation,  6,550  feet.  The  river,  from  which  the 
station  is  named,  was  crossed  a  short  distance 
before  we  reached  the  station.  It  rises  directly 
south,  in  the  Medicine  Bow  Mountains,  and  runs 
nearly  north  to  the  place  where  it  is  crossed  by 
the  railroad,  after  which  it  turns  toward  the 
west  and  unites  with  the  North  Platte,  below 
Fort  Steele. 

There  is  a  roundhouse  of  five  stalls,  in  which 
one  or  moi-e  engines  are  kept,  to  assist  trains 
up  and  down  the  steep  grades  between  here 
and  Carbon.  It  is  also  a  point  from  which 
a  large  quantity  of  military  supplies  for  Fort 
Fetterman  and  other  posts  are  distributed. 
The  government  has  a  freight  depot  here. 
There  are  one  or  two  stores,  with  the  inevitable 


saloon  and  several  dwellings,  in  the  vicinity. 
There  is  a  good  wagon  road  from  this  place  to 
Fort  Fetterman,  distance  ninety  miles,  and  it  is 
by  far  the  nearest  route  to  the  gold  fields  in  the 
Black  Hills  of  Dakota,  for  passengers  and  miners 
from  the  West.  The  Indians  were  disinclined  to 
leave  this  region  and  even  now  hardly  know  how 
to  give  it  up.  In  the  summer  of  1875,  they  came 
here  and  stole  a  herd  of  between  three  and  four 
hundred  horses  that  were  grazing  on  Rock  Creek. 
Some  of  these  horses  have  been  seen  and  recog- 
nized at  the  agencies  of  Red  Cloud  and  Spotted 
Tail ;  and  when  demand  was  made  for  them,  the 
owners  were  quietly  told  by  the  Indian  agents  to 
make  out  their  claims  and  present  them  to  the 
proper  authorities  to  be  paid.  But  the  cases  of 
their  payment  are  like  angels'  visits,  few  and  far 
between.  Some  of  the  horses  stolen  belonged  to 
Judge  Kelly,  member  of  Congress,  from  Pennsyl- 
vania. Medicine  Bow  is  in  the  midst  of  a  rough, 
broken  country,  over  which  millions  of  antelope 
and  jack  rabbits  roam  at  pleasure.  When  the 
road  was  built  here  immense  quantities  of  ties 
and  wood  were  cut  in  the  mountains  south,  and 
delivered  at  this  place. 

Curiosities  of  Indian  JAfe  find  Char- 
acter.— The  entire  country,  from  North  Platte 
over  as  far  as  the  western  border  of  Laramie 
Plains,  has  been  for  years  the  roving  ground  of 
the  Indians,  of  whom  we  could  tell  many  inter- 
esting facts  respecting  their  life  and  the  curious 
interviews  the  overland  scouts,  trappers,  etc., 
have  had  with  them.  To  a  man,  every  scout  will 
unite  in  denunciation  of  their  treachery.  Jim 
Baker, — an  old  Rocky  Mountain  trapper, — once 
told,  in  his  characteristic  manner  the  following, 
to  General  Marcy : 

"  They  are  the  most  onsartainest  varmints  in 
all  creation,  and  I  reckon  thar  not  mor'n  half 
human ;  for  you  never  seed  a  human,  arter  you'd 
fed  and  treated  him  to  the  best  fixins  in  your 
lodge,  just  turn  round  and  steal  all  your  horses, 
or  anything  he  could  lay  his  hand  on. 

"  No,  not  adzackly !  he  would  feel  kinder  grate- 
ful, and  ask  you  to  spread  a  blanket  in  his  lodge 
if  ever  you  passed  that  way.  But  the  Indian, 
he  don't  care  shucks  for  you,  and  is  ready  to  do 
you  a  heap  of  mischief  as  soon  as  he  quits  your 
feed.  No,  Cap',"  he  continued,  "  it's  not  the 
right  way  to  give  'um  presents  to  buy  peace ;  but 
ef  I  was  governor  of  these  yeer  United  States, 
I'll  tell  you  what  I'd  do.  I'd  invite  'um  all  to  a 
big  feast,  and  make  believe  I  wanted  to  have  a 
big  talk,  and  as  soon  as  I  got  'um  all  together,  I'd 

Eitch  in  and  scalp  half  of  'um,  and  then  t'other 
alf  would  be  mighty  glad  to  make  a  peace  that 
would  stick.     That's  the  way  I'd  make  a  treaty 
with  the  dog-ond,  red-bellied  varmints ;  and,  as 
sure  as  you're  born,  Cap.,  that's  the  only  way. 

"It  ain'  no  use  to  talk  about  honor  with  them, 
Cap. ;  they  hain't  got  no  such  thing  in  'um  ;  and 
they  won't  show  fair  fight,  any  way  you  can  fix 


92 


it.  Don't  they  kill  and  scalp  a  white  man, 
when'ar  they  get  the  better  on  him  ?  The  mean 
varmints,  they'll  never  behave  themselves  until 
you  give  'um  a  clean  out  and  out  licking.  They 
can't  oriderstand  white  folks'  ways,  and  they 
won't  learn,  'um,  and  ef  you  treat  'um  decently, 
they  think  you're  at'eard.  You  may  depend  on't, 
Cap.,  the  only  way  to  treat  Indians,  is  to  thrash 
them  well  at  first,  then  the  balance  will  sorter 
take  to  you  and  behave  themselves." 

Indian  observations  on  the  character  of  the 
American  and  English  people,  are  often  pretty 
good.  An  Indian  once  describing  to  an  English- 
man the  characteristics  of  the  different  people 
he  knew,  said  as  follows,  most  naively : 

"  King  George  man,  (  English  )  very  good  ; 
Boston  man,  (American)  good ;  John  Chinaman, 
not  good ;  but  the  black  man,  he  no  better  than  a 
dor/." 

They  are  particularly  curious  about  negroes, 
as  they  do  not  feel  certain  whether  the  black 
goes  all  through.  Some  years  ago,  a  party  of 
negroes  escaping  from  Texas,  were  captured  by 
some  of  the  Comanches,  who  scraped  their  skin  to 
settle  this  question. 

At  the  time  of  the  presidency  of  Lincoln,  an 
Indian,  while  conversing  with  an  English  mis- 
sionary, asked  him.  who  was  the  chief  of  the 
English.  He  was  told.  "  Ah  !  Queen  Victoly," 
for  they  can't  pronounce  it.  "  Is  she  a  woman  ?  " 
"  Yes."  "  Who  is  the  chief  of  the  Boston  men, 
(American)  ?  "  "  Mr.  Lincoln."  "  Ah  !  I  thought 
so ;  but  another  Indian  once  told  me  that  it  was 
Mr.  Washington.  Are  Mr.  Lincoln  and  the 
English  woman-chief  good  friends  ?  "  "  Yes, 
excellent  friends."  He  thought  for  a  moment, 
and,  finally,  said  eagerly  :  "  Then  if  they  are  so 
good  friends,  why  does  not  Mr.  Lincoln  take  Queen 
Victoly  for  his  squaw  ?  " 

The  Indians  are  very  fond  of  card-playing, 
and,  perhaps  in  no  other  way  can  their  natural 
treachery  be  so  well  illustrated,  and  desire  to 
take  advantage  of  others  by  cheating. 

An  Indian  once,  while  at  a  wayside  village, 
near  the  mines,  and  withal  a  natural  born  swin- 
dler, explained  to  his  white  hearers  how  he 
could  manage  to  cheat  while  dealing  the  cards. 

While  playing  in  the  open  air,  in  some  valley, 
near  some  rocks,  with  a  young  Indian,  while 
dealing  the  cards,  he  would  shout  out  as  if  he 
saw  some  lovely  forest  maid  passing  near  or 
ascending  the  rock  or  sides  of  the  hill :  "  Aah, 
nanich  skok  tenans  klatchmann  (Hallo  !  look  at 
that  young  woman !)  "  While  the  Indian  looked 
around,  "  old  Buffalo "  immediately  took  the 
opportunity  of  dealing  double  to  himself,  or  of 
selecting  an  ace  or  two  before  his  opponent 
turned  around. 

A  semi-civilized  Indian,  named  Black  Beaver, 
once  visited  General  Marcy  at  St.  Louis,  and  on 
his  return  back  to  his  native  camp,  he  prided 
himself  not  a  little  on  his  knowledge  of  cities  and 


men,  white  and  civilized.  Camping  one  night 
with  a  Comanche  guide,  the  General  overheard 
the  two  in  an  apparently  earnest  and  amicable 
talk.  The  General  inquired  of  him  afterward 
what  he  had  been  saying. 

"  I've  been  telling  the  Comanche  what  I've 
seen  among  the  white  folks.  I  tell  him  'bout  the 
steamboats,  and  the  railroads,  and  the  heep  o' 

houses  I  see  in  St.  Louis,  but  he  say  Ize 

fool.  I  tell  him  the  world  is  round,  but  he  keep 
all  o'  time  say,  '  Hush,  you  fool,  do  you  spose  I'ze 
child  ?  Haven't  I  got  eyes  ?  Can't  I  see  the 
prairie  ?  You  call  him  round  ?  Maybe  so ;  I  tell 
you  something  you  not  know  before.  One  time 
my  grandfather  he  made  long  journey  that  way 
(West),  when  he  got  on  big  mountain,  he  see 
heep  water  on  t'other  side,  just  so  flat  as  he  can 
be,  and  he  see  the  sun  go  straight  down  on 
t'other  side.  S'pose  the  world  flat  he  stand 
still?'" 

General  Marcy  attempted  to  explain  to  him 
the  telegraph,  but  there  he  was  nonplussed. 
"What  you  call  the  magnetic  telegraph?"  He 
was  told,  "  You  have  heard  of  New  York  and 
New  Orleans  ?  "  "  Oh,  yes."  "  Very  well ;  we 
have  a  wire  connecting  these  two  cities,  which 
are  1,000  miles  apart,  and  it  would  take  a  man 
thirty  days,  on  a  good  horse,  to  ride  it.  Now,  a 
man  stands  at  one  end  of  this  wire  in  New  York, 
and  by  touching  it  a  tew  times,  he  inquires  of 
his  friend  in  New  Orleans,  what  he  had  for 
breakfast.  His  friend  in  New  Orleans  touches 
the  other  end  of  the  wire,  and  in  ten  minjites  the 
answer  comes  back,  ham  and  eyys." 

Beaver  was  requested  to  tell  this  to  the  Co- 
manche, but  he  remained  silent,  his  countenance 
all  the  time  covered  with  a  most  comical,  puz- 
zled expression.  Again  he  was  asked  to  tell  him, 
when  he  observed,  "  No,  Captain,  I  not  tell  him 
that,  for  I  don't  b'lieve  that  myself." 

He  was  assured  that  it  was  a  fact,  but  no 
amount  of  assurances  could  induce  him  to  pin 
his  faith  on  such  a  seemingly  incredible  state- 
ment. All  he  would  reply  was  simply, 

"  Injun  not  very  smart ;  sometimes  he's  big 
fool,  but  he  holler  pretty  loud;  you  hear  him, 
maybe,  half  a  mile  ;  you  say  '  Merican  man  he 
talk  thousand  miles ;'  I  'spect  you  try  to  fool  me 
now,  Cap'n.  Mai/  be  you  lie." 

Polygamy  is  quite  frequent  among  many  of 
the  Indians  of  the  plains,  and  some  amusing 
stories  are  told  of  the  way  they  get  their  wives. 
One  such  is  told  of  an  Indian  boy  of  only  eight- 
een, whose  father,  considering  that  he  had  ar- 
rived at  the  years  of  discretion,  presented  him 
with  a  lodge,  several  horses,  and  goods  enough 
to  establish  him  in  life.  The  first  thing  the  pre- 
cocious youth  did  was  to  go  and  secretly  bargain 
with  a  chief  for  his  daughter,  enjoining  secrecy, 
and  then  to  a  second,  third  and  fourth,  the  re- 
sult of  which  was,  that  on  a  fixed  day,  he  claimed 
all  four  ladies,  to  the  astonishment  "of  the  tribe 


93 


and  the  indignation  of  the  fathers.  But  he  ob- 
tained his  wives  and  marched  them  off  to  his 
wigwam.  Not  only  this,  but  the  chiefs  deter- 
mined that  a  youth  who  could  do  so  bold  an  act, 
must  be  a  person  of  discretion,  and  deserved  and 
gave  him  a  seat  in  the  council  among  the  war- 
riors and  the  medicine  men. 

Of  the  want  of  books  and  writing  among  the 
Indians,  they  give  the  following  explanations  : 

"  It  is  impossible.  The  Great  Spirit  at  first 
made  a  red  and  a- white  boy  ;  to  the  red  boy  he 
gave  a  book,  and  to  the  white  boy  a  bow  and 
arrow,  but  the  white  boy  came  round  the  red 
boy,  stole  his  book,  and  went  off,  leaving  him 
the  bow  and  arrow,  and,  therefore,  an  Indian 
could  not  make  a  book." 

Carbon,, — 656.5  miles  from  Omaha,  with  an 
elevation  of  6,750  feet.  A  telegraph  station  with 
usual  side  tracks  for  passing  trains,  and  for  the 
coal  business  which  is  done  here.  This  is  the 
first  station  on  the  line  of  the  road,  where  the 
company  obtains  a  supply  of  coal.  A  shaft 
about  120  feet  deep  has  been  sunk,  and  veins  of 
coal  opened  about  six  feet  thick.  The  coal  is 
hoisted  to  the  surface  by  means  of  a  stationary 
engine,  and  dumped  into  cars  by  means  of 
chutes,  or  into  large  bins  from  which  it  is  taken 
to  supply  passing  engines.  From  50  to  150  men 
are  employed  in  these  mines,  and  a  good  many 
of  them  live  in  board  shanties,  adobe  houses,  and 
dug-outs  along  the  side  of  the  tuack.  The  coal 
is  mostly  used  by  the  company — but  little  being 
sold  as  it  is  not  as  good  for  domestic  purposes  as 
the  coal  found  at  Rock  Springs.  Leaving  Car- 
bon we  pass  through  a  rugged  country,  with 
scenery  sufficiently  attractive  to  keep  the  traveler 
on  the  constant  lookout,  to 

Simpson, — a  side  track,  with  section-house, 
663.5  miles  from  Omaha,  and  an  elevation  of  6,898 
feet.  Passenger  trains  do  not  stop  and  on  we 
go  to 

Percy, — 668.1  miles  from  Omaha,  and  6,950 
feet  above  the  sea.  From  Simpson  to  this  sta- 
tion, you  can  obtain  the  finest  view  of  Elk 
Mountain  on  the  left.  We  have  not  been  able 
to  ascertain  its  elevation,  but  its  comparative 
short  distance  from  the  road  causes  it  to  look 
high  and  grand.  It  can  be  seen  from  a  long  dis- 
tance, either  east  or  west,  and  is  the  noted  peak 
of  the  Medicine  Bow  Range.  It  seems  to 
jut  out  from  the  main  ridge,  and  looking 
from  the  west,  stands  in  bold  relief  against 
the  sky.  The  station  is  named  in  honor 
of  Colonel  Percy,  who  was  killed  here  by  the 
Sioux  Indians,  when  the  road  was  being  sur- 
veyed. At  this  station  passengers  who  desire 
to  visit  Elk  Mountain,  and  the  region  in  its  im- 
mediate vicinity  will  leave  the  cars.  During 
the  construction  of  the  road  large  quantities  of 
wood  and  ties  with  timber  for  bridges,  were  cut 
in  the  mountains  and  foot  hills,  and  hauled  to 
this  station.  At  the  foot  of  Elk  Mountain  stood 


Fort  Halleck  now  abandoned,  and  a  station  of 
the  Overland  Stage  Company.  There  were  many 
skirmishes  with  the  Indians  in  this  vicinity  in 
those  days,  and  now  and  then  you  will  be  able  to 
find  an  old  settler  who  will  entertain  you  for 
hours,  in  the  recital  of  wild  adventures  and  hair- 
breadth escapes.  A  visit  to  the  site  of  the  old 
fort  and  the  region  of  country  around,  together 
with  a  close  view  of  the  grand  scenery  of  the 
mountains,  will  amply  repay  the  traveler  for  his 
time  and  money.  About  four  miles  south  of 
Percy,  fine  veins  of  coal  were  discovered  in  1875, 
but  they  have  not  been  opened  or  tested.  One 
is  nine  and  the  other  over  twenty  feet  in  thick- 
ness. Notice  a  suggestive  sign  as  you  pass  the 
station.  It  is  "  Bowles's  Hotel,"  and  of  course, 
indicates  that  everything  is  perfectly  "  straight " 
within. 

South  of  this  station  there  is  some  very  fine 
grazing  land,  mostly  in  the  valleys  of  the  little 
streams  that  head  in  the  Medicine  Bow  Range, 
and  flow  westward  into  the  North  Platte  River, 
and  a  considerable  quantity  of  hay  is  cut  during 
favorable  seasons. 

A  Curious  and  Exciting  Race. — En- 
gineers have  told  of  a  curious  scene  on  the  Pacific 
Railroad  not  far  from  the  Laramie  Plains,  of  a 
race  between  the  locomotive  and  a  herd  of  deer. 
At  daybreak,  the  locomotive,  with  its  long  train 
of  carriages  and  freight  cars,  entered  a  narrow 
valley  or  gorge,  where  runs  quite  a  rivulet  of 
clear  and  cold  mountain  water.  On  the  banks 
of  this  stream  a  large  herd  of  red  deer  were 
standing,  occasionally  lapping  the  refresh- 
ing element.  The  timid  creatures,  startled  by 
the  presence  in  their  midst  of  the  "  iron  horse," 
knew  not  what  course  to  pursue  in  order  to  get 
away  from  it.  The  engineer,  to  add  to  their 
evident  perplexity,  caused  the  whistle  to  send 
forth  its  loudest  and  most  discordant  shriek. 
This  was  enough  for  the  deer.  To  get  beyond 
reach  of  this  new  enemy,  they  started  up  the 
road,  taking  the  course  the  locomotive  was 
pursuing.  The  race  became  exciting.  It  was  a 
superb  trial  of  steam  and  iron  against  muscle 
and  lung.  The  engineer  "  put  on  steam,"  and 
sent  his  locomotive  with  its  burdensome  train, 
whirling  along  the  track  ;  but  for  many  miles — 
six  or  seven  it  was  estimated — the  frightened 
animals  kept  ahead,  fairly  beating  their  antago- 
nist. At  last  the  pursued  and  pursuer  got  into  a 
more  open  country.  This  the  deer  perceiving, 
they  sprang  on  one  side,  and,  with  unabated 
speed,  ran  to  a  safe  distance,  where  beyond  reach 
of  locomotive  or  rifle,  they  stood  and  gazed  with 
dilated  eyes — their  limbs  trembling  from  un- 
usual exertion,  and  gasping  for  breath — at  their 
fast  receding  enemy. 

Dana — is  the  next  station — simply  a  side 
track.  It  is  674.2  miles  from  Omaha;  elevation, 
6,875  feet.  The  rugged,  broken  character  of  the 
country  with  cuts  for  the  track,  and  fills  in  the 


94 


DEER  RACE  WITH  TRAIN  ON  THE  U.  P.  R.  B. 


valleys,  will  interest  the  observing  tourist  if  he 
passes  by  in  daylight. 

St.  Marys, — 681.7  miles  from  Omaha,  with 
an  elevation  of  6,751  feet.  It  is  a  telegraph  sta- 
tion with  accompanying  side  tack,  section-house, 
etc.  From  this  station  to  the  next,  the  bluffs 
are  rugged  and  wild,  the  road  passing  through  a 
short  tunnel  and  several  deep  cuts.  There  is 
nothing  but  the  changing  scenery  as  you  move 
along  with  the  train,  to  relieve  this  country  from 
its  desolate  appearance.  Sage  brush  and  grease- 
wood  continue  to  be  the  only  products  of  the  soil. 

Walcott, — a  side  track  689.5  miles  from  the 
Missouri  River,  and  6,800  feet  above  the  sea. 
After  leaving  this  station,  the  road  winds  around 
the  bluffs,  passing  through  some  very  deep  cuts, 
near  one  of  which  there  is  a  stone  quarry  from 
which  stone  is  taken  by  the  company  for  road 
purposes  at  Green  River.  A  side  track  to  the 
quarry  has  been  laid  and  stone  easily  loaded  on 
the  flat  cars  used  for  their  transportation.  Sud- 
denly bursting  through  one  of  these  cuts  we 
enter  the  valley  of  the  Platte,  through  what  is 
called  Rattle  Snake  Pass,  by  the  railroad  men, 
and  arrive  at 

Fort  Sfeele,  —  which  is  695.3  miles  from 
Omaha,  122.5  miles  from  Laramie,  and  has  an 
elevation  of  6,810  feet.  It  is  a  telegraph  station, 
and  the  site  of  the  government  post  of  the  same 
name.  We  cross  North  Platte  River  just  before 
arriving  at  the  station,  and  are  4,051  feet  higher 
than  when  we  crossed  the  same  stream  at  North 
Platte  City,  near  the  junction  of  the  two  Plattes 
in  the  State  of  Nebraska.  Fort  Steele  was 
established  on  the  last  day  of  June,  1868,  by 


Col.  R.  I.  Dodge,  then  of  the  Thirtieth  United 
States  Infantry.  It  is  considered  a  good  strate- 
gic point,  as  well  as  a  convenient,  base  of  supplies, 
in  case  of  a  campaign  against  the  Indians.  The 
buildings  are  mostly  of  logs,  and  none  of  them 
very  comfortable.  In  1875,  the  government  fin- 
ished a  fine  stone  hospital  building  here.  The 
station  also  does  considerable  government  busi- 
ness, and  there  is  a  government  depot  for  receiv- 
ing and  storing  supplies  near  the  track.  The 
valley  of  the  North  Platte  at  this  upper  cross- 
ing is  quite  narrow,  without  the  broad  and 
fertile  bottom-lands  we  were  accustomed  to  see 
below  as  we  whirled  along  its  banks.  From  the 
head  of  this  river  in  the  North  Park  of  Colorado, 
to  a  point  as  far  down  as  Fort  Laramie,  its  route 
describes  the  form  of  a  horseshoe.  Its  tributa- 
ries from  the  east  mostly  rise  in  the  Medicine 
Bow  Range,  and  flow  westward.  They  are 
principally  Douglas  Creek,  .Fresh  Creek,.  Brush 
Creek,  Cedar  Creek,  Spring  Creek,  and  Pass 
Creek.  They  are  beautiful  streams  with  fine 
grass  valleys  and  partially  wooded  banks.  Its 
tributaries  from  the  west  are  Beaver  Creek, 
Grand  Encampment  Creek,  Cow  Creek,  Hot 
Spring  Creek,  Jack  Creek,  and  Sage  Creek. 
Hot  Spring  Creek  is  so  named  from  the  hot  sul- 
phur springs  which  are  found  near  its  mouth. 
All  the  streams  which  rise  in  the  Medicine  Bow 
Range,  and  flow  into  the  North  Platte,  show  the 
"  color ''  of  gold  where  they  have  been  prospected, 
and  some  rich  diggings  are  said  to  have  been 
discovered  at  the  head  of  Douglas  Creek.  We 
believe  it  will  not  be  long  before  the  Medicine 
Bow  Mountains  will  develop  into  a  rich  mining 


95 


country.  The  waters  of  the  Hot  Springs  re- 
ferred to  are  claimed  to  possess  remarkable  me- 
dicinal virtues,  and  are  from  40  to  45  miles  from 
Fort  Steele,  up  the  right  bank  of  the  river. 
The  wondeis  of  even  these  desolate  plains  do 
not  begin  to  be  known,  and  when  they  are  fully 
realized,  the  world  will  be  astonished  at  the 
results.  About  three  miles  west  of  Fort  Steele 
is  the  site  of  Benton — the  town  that  was — now 
wholly  abandoned.  For  a  short  time  it  was  the 
business  terminus  of  the  road,  while  its  construc- 
tion was  going  on,  and  possessed  all  the  charac- 
teristics of  the  railroad  towns  in  those  days.  At 
one  time  it  had  a  population  estimated  as  high 
as  five  thousand  souls.  Old  iron  barrel  hoops, 
rusty  tin  'cans,  a  few  holes  in  the  ground,  a  few 
posts  and  stumps,  and  nearly  or  quite  a  hundred 
nameless  graves  in  close  proximity,  are  all  that 


perior  satisfaction  it  would  give.  The  railroad 
reached  and  passed  Benton  in  July,  1868.  The 
valley  of  the  N.  Platte  River  begins  to  be  occu- 
pied by  cattle  men,  as  stock  can  be  carried 
through  the  severest  winters,  thus  far  experienced, 
without  hay.  It  has  superior  advantages,  not 
only  for  grazing,  but  its  numerous  "  draws " 
or  ravines  afford  friendly  shelter  in  case  of  storms. 

View  on  the  North  Platte,  near  Fort 
Fred  Steele. — The  Platte  River  here  is  over 
700  miles  from  its  mouth  near  Omaha,  and  has  an 
elevation  of  6,845  feet.  Upon  the  plains  it  was 
a  wide,  shallow  stream,  with  sand-bars  and  shift- 
ing currents.  Here  it  is  a  deep,  clear,  cold  stream, 
and  but  little  distant  from  its  source  among  the 
perpetual  snow  banks  of  the  Rocky  Mountains. 

Grennville — is  the  next  station,  703.7  miles 
from  Omaha  with  an  elevation  of  6,560  feet 


&-.-; 


VIEW  OX  THE  PLATTE 

now  remain  to  mark  the  place  where  Benton 
was.  It  grew  in  a  day,  and  faded  out  of  sight  as 
quickly.  But  it  was  a  red-hot  town  while  it 
lasted.  A  death,  sometimes  two  or  three  of 
them,  with  corresponding  burials,  was  the  morn- 
ing custom.  Whisky  was  preferred  to  water  be- 
cause it  was  much  easier  to  obtain,  and  unre- 
strained by  civilized  society  or  wholesome  laws, 
the  devil  in  men  and  women  had  full  sway,  and 
made  free  exhibitions  of  his  nature.  The  town 
was  three  miles  from  the  North  Platte  River, 
where  all  the  water  was  obtained  and  hauled 
in,  price  ten  cents  per  bucket,  or  one  dollar 
per  barrel.  In  that  town,  a  drink  of  regular  old 
"  tangle-foot "  whisky,  at  "  two  bits  "  ( twenty- 
five  cents)  would  last  a  good  deal  longer  than 
a  bucket  of  water,  to  say  nothing  of  the  su- 


XEAR  FORT   FRED  STEELE. 

above  the  sea.  It  is  simply  a  side  track  for  the 
meeting  and  passing  of  trains.  Passenger  trains 
seldom  stop.  The  next  station  and  the  end  of 
a  subdivision  of  the  road  is 

Rawlins, — named  in  honor  of  Gen.  John  A. 
Rawlins,  General  Grant's  chief  of  staff  and  his 
first  secretary  of  war.  The  springs  near  here 
bear  the  same  name,  but  it  has  been  incorrectly 
spelled,  heretofore.  This  station  is  137.9  miles 
from  Laramie,  and  710.7  miles  from  Omaha.  It 
has  an  elevation  of  6,732  feet.  We  are  going  up 
hill  again.  The  town  has  a  population  of  about 
600  souls,  a  large  majority  of  whom  are  railroad 
employes.  The  company  has  erected  a  hotel  for 
the  use  of  its  employes  and  the  traveling  public, 
and  has  a  roundhouse  and  machine-shops  which 
are  kept  pretty  busy  in  the  repair  of  engines. 


96 


The  water  used  by  engines  on  this  division  is 
strongly  impregnated  with  alkali  and  other  sub- 
stances, which  form  scales  on  the  inside  of  the 
boiler  and  adhere  to  the  flues.  The  engines  are, 
therefore,  carefully  watched  and  every  precaution 
taken  to  guard  against  accidents.  North  of  the 
town,  is  what  might  be  called  in  some  countries, 
a  mountain.  Near  the  east  end  of  this  mount- 
ain valuable  beds  of  red  hematite — iron  ore — 
have  been  found.  This  ore  is  very  pure,  and, 
when  ground,  makes  a  very  hard  and  durable 
paint.  It  is  said  to  be  water  and  fire-proof  when 
used  in  sufficient  quantities.  The  dark  red 
freight  and  flat  cars  which  you  see  on  the  line  of 
the  road  belonging  to  the  company,  have  been 
painted  with  this  material,  and  it  is  rapidly 
growing  into  public  favor  as  its  merits  become 
known.  There  are  two  mills  here  for  the  manu- 
facture of  this  paint,  and  a  large  quantity  is 
always  on  hand.  Forty  miles  due  north  from 
Rawlins  are  the  Ferris  and  Seminole  mining  dis- 
tricts. These  mines  were,  visited,  in  1875,  by 
Professor  Hayden  and  Professor  Thompson. 
The  lodes  operated  by  the  Vulcan  Mining  Com- 
pany, indicated  gold,  silver  and  copper,  mixed 
with  iron.  This  company  is  composed  mostly  of 
mechanics  and  employes  of  the  Union  Pacific. 
They  first  sunk  a  shaft  on  the  vein  and 
obtained  ore  at  about  60  feet  from  the  surface 
that  assayed  well  and  gave  indications  of  a  rich 
mine.  They  then  commenced  a  tunnel,  and  from 
their  monthly  wages,  during  nearly  two  years  or 
more,  contributed  and  expended  about  $24,000. 
At  a  distance  of  about  365  feet,  they  struck  the 
vein,  and  have  a  large  body  of  rich  ore  in  sight 
and  on  the  dump.  A  mill  will  soon  be  put  in, 
when  the  company  will  begin  to  realize  some- 
thing for  their  outlay.  The  Elgin  Mining  Com- 
pany have  also  put  in  a  tunnel,  and  are  reported 
to  have  struck  a  rich  vein.  The  developments, 
thus  far  mads,  indicate  that  the  copper  and  silver 
will  soon  run  out,  and  that  the  mines  will  be 
essentially  gold-bearing.  South  of  Rawlins  about 
60  miles,  in  the  Snake  River  Region,  are  fine 
grazing  fields,  already  occupied,  to  a  certain  ex- 
tent, by  cattle  men,  and  mining  country  yet 
undeveloped.  Placer  diggings  have  been  found 
and  worked  to  some  extent,  and  indications  of 
rich  quartz  lodes  are  prevalent,  some  having 
already  been  discovered.  A  colony  of  farmers 
and  miners  from  the  vicinity  of  Denver,  Col., 
have  settled  in  that  region,  and  more  are  con- 
stantly going  in.  About  a  mile  and  a  half  from 
Rawlins,  east,  is  a  large  sulphur  spring.  It  is 
untaken.  as  yet.  We  could  not  ascertain 
whether  the  waters  had  been  analyzed  or  not, 
though  they  are  claimed  to  possess  the  usual 
medicinal  qualities  of  water  from  similar  springs. 
The  springs  frequently  alluded  to  as  Rawlins 
Springs,  are  on  the  left  of  the  track,  and  a  little 
west  of  the  town.  The  small  creek  which  passes 
through  the  place,  is  known  as  Separation  Creek, 


and  empties  into  the  North  Platte  River  north 
of  Fort  Steele.  There  are,  also,  immense  beds 
or  lakes  of  soda,  tributary  to  this  station,  some 
of  which  is  nearly  pure.  When  they  are  utilized, 
as  they  doubtless  soon  will  be,  and  the  industry 
is  developed,  employment  will  be  given  to  many 
laborers  now  idle,  together  with  fortunes  to  those 
who  have  the  nerve  and  capacity  to  successfully 
carry  it  on.  We  are  informed  that  from  twelve 
to  fourteen  millions  of  dollars  are  annually  paid 
in  customs  duties  on  the  article  of  imported  soda, 
alone.  Rawlins  is  in  the  midst  of  a  broken,  des- 
olate country,  and  depends  upon  railroad  impor- 
tations for  nearly  everything  upon  which  its 
people  live,  though  there  is  a  fine  country  re- 
ported both  north  and  south.  In  addition  to  the 
other  buildings  named,  it  has  the  usual  quantity 
of  saloons,  together  with  several  stores,  at  which 
a  thriving  trade  is  done.  The  future  of  the 
town  will  depend  largely  upon  the  developments 
in  the  mining  districts  spoken  of. 

Summit. — A  side  track,  nearly  seven  miles 
from  Rawlins,  and  717.4  miles  from  Omaha; 
elevation,  6,821  feet.  Heavy  grades  now  for 
quite  a  distance. 

Separation. — One  would  naturally  suppose 
from  the  name,  that  the  waters  flowing  east  and 
west,  divided  or  separated  here,  but  such  is  not 
the  fact.  It  is  reported  that  a  party  of  engineers 
who  were  surveying  and  locating  the  road, 
separated  here  to  run  different  lines — hence  the 
name.  It  is  a  telegraph  station,  724.1  miles  from 
Omaha,  and  6,900  feet  above  the  level  of  the 
sea.  The  artesian  well  at  this  station,  which 
supplies  the  water  tank  is  860  feet  deep.  The 
water  from  these  wells  is  not  always  pure — fre- 
quently having  a  brackish  or  alkali  ta.ste. 

Fillmore, — named  in  honor  of  a  former  di- 
vision superintendent  of  the  road,  now  in  the 
stock  business,  with  ranche  at  Wyoming.  It  is 
731.6  miles  from  Omaha;  elevation,  6,885  feet. 
Simply  a  side  track  in  the  midst  of  a  barren, 
broken  country. 

Creston, — 738.6  miles  from  the  eastern  ter- 
minus of  the  road,  and  7,030  feet  above  the  sea. 
It  is  a  telegraph  station,  with  the  usual  side 
tracks  and  section-house.  Three  miles  farther 
west,  and  we  reach  the  summit  of  the  divide 
which  separates  the  waters  of  the  two  oceans. 
This  is  the  crowning  ridge  in  the  backbone  of  the 
Continent,  and  a  desolate  place  it  is.  It  is  the 
summit  of  the  Rocky  Mountains.  "  What  was 
this  country  made  for?" — We  asked  a  fellow- 
traveler.  "  To  hold  the  rest  of  it  together  " — 
was  the  ready  reply.  That  is  good;  the  best 
reason  for  its  existence  we've  had.  It  is  of  some 
use  after  all.  Allowing  60  feet  grade  for  the 
three  miles  west  of  Creston,  to  the  actual  summit 
of  the  divide,  and  we  are  then  1,122  feet  lower 
than  at  Sherman.  It  is  true  there  are  no  lofty 
peaks  here,  with  snowy  crests  the  year  round, 
but  an  immense  roll,  over  which  we  glide  and 


97 


never  think  that  we  are  crossing  the  summit  of 
the  rock-ribbed  Rockies.  At  this  divide  a  short 
distance  north  of  the  track,  a  pole  was  once 
erected  with  a  flag  to  mark  the  spot,  but  it  has 
fallen  before  the  fierce  gales  which  sweep  over 
this  elevated  ridge,  and  which  seem  to  have  with- 
ered everything  they  touched.  Standing  on  the 
rear  platform  of  the  train,  looking  east  you  notice 
the  undulations  of  the  road  as  it  passes  beneath 
you  ;  Elk  Mountain  of  the  Medicine  Bow  Range, 
and  the  far  distant  Black  Hills  rise  grandly  in 
view  as  you  approach  the  crest,  but  suddenly  you 
have  passed  to  the  other  side,  and  a  stretch  of 
country  two  hundred  miles  long  drops  from  your 
view  in  an  instant.  On  this  part  of  the  road  the 
most  difficulty  with  snow  is  usually  experienced 
in  the  winter.  There  is  a  constant  breeze  here, 
and  frequent  storms,  though  a  few  miles  farther 
it  may  be  clear  and  pleasant.  In  the  great  snow 
blockade  of  the  winter  of  1871-2,  the  telegraph 
poles  were  frequently  buried  in  the  drifts.  The 
Western  Union  Company  had  their  wires  ele- 
vated on  poles  planted  in  the  snow  in  several 
places,  to  keep  them  above  the  drifts.  In  that 
blockade,  the  worst  ever  known  since  the  road 
was  built,  there  were  seventeen  days  without 
trains.  Since  then  the  track  has  been  raised, 
snow  fences  planted,  sheds  erected  and  every  pos- 
sible appliance  used  to  insure  the  safe  and 
speedy  passage  of  trains.  Looking  again  to  the 
north  you  can  see  the  snowy  heads  of  the  Wind 
River  Mountains,  with  the  peak  named  after 
Fremont,  the  gallant  Path-finder  of  the  West, 
towering  against  the  sky.  Notice  the  dark 
shades  of  the  timber  lines  as  they  press  against 
the  eternal  snows  with  which  they  are  covered. 
Looking  forward  to  the  west,  if  you  have  a 
chance,  Pilot  Butte,  north  of  Rock  Springs,  one 
of  the  great  landmarks  of-  the  plains,  is  clearly 
visible.  To  the  south  you  behold  the  mountains 
where  the  tributaries  of  the  Snake  River  rise, 
and  whence  they  flow  into  the  Pacific  Ocean. 
Passing  rapidly  down  the  grade  we  arrive  at 

Lathatn,  —  746.1  miles  from  Omaha,  and 
6,900  feet  above  the  sea.  Passenger  trains  do 
not  stop  as  it  is  only  a  side  track.  On  we  go  to 
Wushakle, — so  called  after  a  Shoshone  chief, 
reputed  to  be  friendly  to  the  whites,  whose  tribe 
fights  the  Sioux  when  there  is  opportunity.  It  is 
753.7  miles  from  Omaha  ;  elevation,  6,697  feet ; 
and  nearly  200  feet  lower  than  at  the  last  station. 

Red  JJesert. — The  country  near  is  reddish 
in  appearance,  but  the  place  is  named  alter  the 
Red  Desert,  near  which  is  an  immense  basin  of 
its  own,  similar  to  the  Salt  Lake  basin.  It  lies 
500  feet  below  the  level  of  the  country,  lias  no 
outlet,  and  extends  from  the  South  Pass  on  the 
north,  to  Bridger's  Pass  on  the  south,  and  east 
from  summit  of  the  divide  to  Tipton  on  the  west, 
a  very  singular  depression  right  on  the  divide  of 
the  Continent.  The  little  stream  just  seen  before 
reaching  this  place,  flows  south  and  is  lost  in  this 

7 


basin.  The  country  near  is  alkali,  and  subject 
to  high  water  and  heavy  rains,  giving  great  diffi- 
culty to  preserve  the  security  of  road-bed  and 
track.  Station  is  763  miles  from  Omaha;  ele- 
vation 6,710  feet. 

Tipton, — a  side  track  for  meeting  and  pass- 
ing trains.  It  is  769.6  miles  from  the  "  Big 
Muddy,"  with  an  elevation  of  6,800  feet.  We 
have  been  going  up  hill  again — leaving  the  val- 
ley of  the  Snake  River.  The  snows  of  winter 
leave  heavy  drifts  along  here,  but  the  railroad 
men  have  learned  by  experience  how  to  manage 
them  quite  successfully.  When  the  drifts  have 
reached  the  top  of  the  fences  in  height,  they  go 
along  and  raise  the  fences  to  the  top  of  the  drifts, 
fastening  them  as  best  they  can  in  the  snow. 
This  they  repeat  as  often  as  necessary,  and  thus, 
the  snow,  in  many  instances,  is  kept  away  from 
the  track,  but  the  drifts  become  pretty  high. 

Table  Rock, — named  from  a  rock  resembling 
a  table  south  of,  and  about  six  miles  from  the 
station.  It  is  776.3  miles  from  Omaha,  and 
6,890.  feet  above  the  sea — is  a  telegraph  station. 
There  is  a  long,  evenly  cut  bluff  south  of  the 
track,  estimated  to  be  600  feet  in  height.  On 
what  appears  to  be  the  north-west  corner  of  this 
bluff  a  square,  table-like,  projection  rises — the 
table — and  presents  a  very  odd  appearance.  It 
can  be  seen  for  quite  a  distance,  as  you  look  to 
the  left  from  the  cars.  The  table  projects  about 
60  feet  above  the  bluffs  adjoining,  though  it  does 
not  seem  half  that  distance.  Next  we  come  to 

Ayate, — 781.3  miles  from  Omaha,  and  6,785 
feet  above  the  sea.  South  of  this  station  and  to 
a  certain  extent,  in  its  immediate  vicinity,  moss 
agates  are  found.  The  stones,  however,  are  not 
clear  and  well-defined.  They  are  smoky  and 
dark,  rendering  them  nearly  valueless.  Agate  is 
only  a  side  track  where  trains  seldom  stop. 
Down  the  grade  we  pass  to 

Bitter  Creek, — a  telegraph  station,  786.3 
miles  from  Omaha,  with  an  elevation  of  6,685 
feet.  At  this  station,  we  first  strike  the  well- 
known  Bitter  Creek  Valley,  through  which  we 
shall  pass  to  Green  River.  About  four  miles 
below  this  station,  on  the  south  side  of  the  track, 
the  old  overland  stage  and  emigrant  road  struck 
the  valley,  as  it  came  in  from  Bridger's  Pass,  and 
across  the  Snake  River  Valley.  The  railroad 
reaches  Bitter  Creek  through  a  "  draw  "  or  dry 
ravine  which  unites  with  the  valley  proper,  at  the 
station.  The  old  stage-road  struck  the  creek 
farther  south,  and  before  it  reaches  the  railroad. 
This  was  formerly  quite  a  station,  and  the  end 
of  a  passenger  division.  It  has  a  small  round- 
house, with  five  stalls  and  turn-table,  upon  which 
the  engines  and  snow-plows  are  turned.  Between 
this  station  and  Rawlins,  as  has  been  observed, 
are  very  heavy  grades,  requiring  two  engines  to 
pull  a  train.  These  extra  engines  come  with 
trains  as  far  as  this  station,  and  then  assist  east- 
ward bound  trains  back  again.  A  large  quan- 


SCENES  ON  GREEN  RIVER. 
1.- Flaming  Gorge.    2.— Brown's  Hole.    3.— Looking  up  the  Valley  of  Green  River. 


99 


tity  of  bridge  timber  is  also  kept  here,  ready 
for  any  emergency.  In  the  great  washout  at 
the  foot  of  this  valley,  in  the  spring  of  1875, 
large  quantities  were  used.  Bitter  Creek  is 
rightly  named.  Its  waters  are  so  strongly 
impregnated  with  alkali  that  they  are  almost 
useless.  Nevertheless,  at  the  head  of  this 
creek,  where  it  is  fed  by  cold,  clear  springs, 
for  more  than  ten  miles  from  the  station, 
trout  have  been  caught,  though  they  are 
small.  The  rugged  scenery  along  this  valley 
will  interest  the  traveler,  as  the  views  are 
constantly  changing.  There  are  no  machine- 
shops  for  repairs  here,  only  the  five-stall 
roundhouse.  The  ci-eek  has  been  dammed 
for  the  purpose  of  supplying  the  water  tank, 
though  the  water  is  not  the  best  for  boil- 
ers. The  whole  region  of  country,  from  a 
point  east,  as  far  as  Rock  Creek  to  Green 
River,  is  underlaid  with  coal.  It  frequently 
crops  out  in  this  valley.  The  coal  is  lignite 
and  will  not  "  coke "  like  the  bituminous 
coal.  There  are  also  indications  of  iron 
and  other  minerals,  in  the  immediate  vicin- 
ity of  the  valley.  Occasionally,  you  will 
see  little  shrub  pines  on  the  bluffs — but  no 
timber.  These  pines  have  tried  to  grow, 
but  the  sterility  of  the  soil  is  against  them. 
They  find  it  almost  impossible  to  "  take 
root."  Sometimes  it  seems,  as  you  pass 
down  the  valley  and  look  ahead,  as  though 
the  train  was  going  square  against  the 
rocks,  and  would  be  dashed  in  pieces;  but 
a  sudden  curve,  and  you  have  rounded  the 
projecting  bluffs,  and  are  safely  pursuing 
your  journey.  Again,  it  seems  as  though 
the  bluffs  were  trying  to  shake  hands  across 
the  chasm,  or  making  an  effort  to  become 
dovetailed  together.  They  assume  all  sorts 
of  shapes,  washed  out  in  places  by  the 
storms  of  ages — smoothly  carved  as  if  by 
the  hand  of  the  sculptor — and  again,  ragged 
and  grotesque.  The  geology  of  the  Bitter 
Creek  and  Green  River  Valleys,  will  afford 
a  chapter  of  curious  interest,  and  will  amply 
reward  him  who  searches  thoroughly  after 
the  knowledge.  Professor  Hayden  and  Major 
Powell  have  the  best  reports  on  the  forma- 
tion and  geology  of  this  region. 

Black  Buttes  —  is  the  next  station,  795.4 
miles  from  Omaha,  and  6,600  feet  above 
the  sea.  It  is  a  telegraph  station  with 
accompanying  side  tracks.  Formerly  there 
was  a  coal  mine  worked  here,  said  to  be- 
long to  Jack  Morrow,  now  of  Omaha,  and 
quite  a  noted  frontier  character  in  his 
day.  It  furnishes  excellent  coal,  easily  ac- 
cessible, the  vein  being  from  six  to  eight 
feet  thick.  As  you  approach  the  station, 
notice  the  balanced  rock  north  of  the 
road  and  within  50  feet  of  the  side 
track.  The  buttes  from  which  the  station 


is  named  are  south  of  the  creek,  and  plainlv 

.    .,  ,  J:  J 

visible. 

Hallville, — named  after  a  noted  contractor 
who  graded  the  road  through  this  .  part  of 
the  valley.  A  few  posts  and  adobe  walls  are 
all  that  remain  of  the  camp.  It  is  simply 
a  side  track,  800.9  miles  from  Omaha,  with 
an  elevation  of  6,590  feet. 

Point  of  Itocks — is  a  station  with  a  his- 
tory. It  was  formerly  quite  a  town,  but  its 
glory  has  departed  with  the  causes  which 
brought  it  into  existence.  It  was  formerly 
the  point  of  departure  and  the  outfitting 
place  for  the  Sweetwater  Gold  District,  South 
Pass  City,  Atlantic  City,  Camp  Stambaugh, 
and  other  places  in  the  region  of  the  Great 
South  Pass  at  the  foot  of  Wind  River 
Mountains,  and  is  the  nearest  railroad  point 
to  those  places,  to-day,  with  a  good  wagon 
road  not  much  traveled.  Distance  to  South 
Pass  City,  65  miles.  The  rocks  from  which 
this  place  is  named  are  on  a  high  point 
south  of  the  track,  and  a  little  east  of  the 
station.  They  seem  in  the  distance  like  faint 
outlines  of  huge  perpendicular  columns,  not 
very  high,  but  really  365  feet  perpendicular 
above  their  base  surroundings.  Their  summit 
is  about  1,100  feet  above  the  track.  At  the 
base  of  the  rocks  proper,  and  about  735  feet 
above  the  track,  seven  sulphur  springs  break 
out,  three  of  which  are  large  ones,  the  balance 
being  small. 

North  of  the  track,  and  three-fourths  of  a 
mile  west  of  the  station,  is  an  iron  spring, 
reputed  to  possess  remarkable  medicinal  qual- 
ities, several  invalids,  especially  females,  hav- 
ing been  highly  benefited  by  drinking  and 
bathing  in  its  waters.  Four  miles  north  of 
the  station  is  a  huge  sulphur  spring,  with 
water  pouring  forth  from  the  ground.  The 
artesian  well,  which  supplies  the  water 
tank  here,  is  700  feet  deep.  Water  is  pumped 
out  by  steam  power.  ~\\  ells  &  Fargo's  Over- 
land Express  Company  had  a  station  here, 
and  their  old  adobe  buildings,  rapidly  going 
into  decay,  may  still  be  seen  across  the 
creek,  at  the  base  of  the  bluffs.  In  the 
"  piping "  times  of  the  town  several  build- 
ings were  commenced,  but  the  collapse  was 
so  sudden  that  they  were  never  completed. 
This  station  is  806.7  miles  from  Omaha,  and 
6,490  feet  above  the  sea.  If  the  springs  in 
the  vicinity  are  improved,  it  will  become  a 
great  resort  for  invalids,  and  those  who  de- 
sire to  realize  the  beneficial  effects  of  their 
healing  waters. 

Thayer, — simply  a  side  track,  812  miles 
from  Omaha,  with  an  elevation  of  6,425 
feet.  The  moving  trains  will  give  the  tourist 
an  ever-varying  view  of  the  grand  and  beau- 
tiful scenery  of  this  valley. 

Salt  Wells, — 818.2  miles  from  the   eastern 


100 


terminus  of  the  road,  and  6,360  feet  above 
the  sea.  It  is  a  telegraph  station,  and  in 
the  construction  period  of  the  road,  was  a 
place  where  considerable  timber,  wood,  etc., 
was  delivered.  The  water  from  the  well  here 
has  a  saltish,  alkaline  taste,  hence  the  name. 
Three  and  one-half  miles  north,  there  is  a  salt 
or  alkali  basin,  which  has  no  visible  outlet  in 
which  the  brackish  waters  stand  the  most  of 
the  year. 
Haxter, — 826.2  miles  from  Omaha;  eleva- 


its  entire  line.  Rock  Springs  coal  for  domestic 
purposes  is  only  surpassed  by  anthracite.  It 
has  but  little  of  the  sulphurous  smell  of  other 
soft  coal,  burns  into  ashes  without  clinkers,  and 
without  the  black  soot  which  characterizes  other 
coal.  These  mines,  with  others,  were  formerly 
operated  by  the  Wyoming  Coal  Company. 
Their  product  is  annually  increasing ;  wherever 
the  superior  merits  of  the  coal  have  become 
known  it  speedily  supplants  other  kinds  in  use. 
In  1875  the  company  mined  104,427  tons,  or 


CASTLE  EOCK. 


tion,  6,300  feet — A  side  track  where  passenger 
trains  do  not  stop.  The  valley  narrows  in  this 
vicinity,  and  the  rugged  rocks  with  their  ragged 
edges,  if  possible  become  more  interesting  to  the 
observer. 

Rock  Springs,— 831.6  miles  from  Omaha, 
and  6,280  feet  above  the  sea.  This  is  the  great 
coal  station  on  the  line  of  the  Union  Pacific 
Road.  The  company  not  only  furnishes  the 
finest  lignite  coal  to  be  found,  for  its  own  use, 
but  supplies  the  market  at  every  point  along 


10,442  cars  allowing  the  usual  ten  tons  per  car. 
They  did  not,  however,  ship  this  number  of  cars 
as  considerable  coal  is  furnished  to  all  the  en- 
gines that  pass,  and  consumed  by  the  people 
living  in  the  town.  They  are  now  working  two 
veins,  one  six  and  the  other  about  nine  feet  in 
thickness. 

Lawrence, — 840.6  miles  from  Omaha,  with 
an  elevation  of  6,200  feet.  A  side  track  for 
passing  trains  between  Rock  Springs  and 

Green  liiver, — which  is  the  end  of  the  Lara- 


101 


mie  division  of  the  road,  273.8  miles  from  that 
place,  and  8i6.6  miles  from  Omaha,  with  an  ele- 
vation of  6,140  feet.  This  is  a  regular  eating- 
station,  breakfast  and  supper,  and  is  now  one  of 
the  best  kept  hostelries  on  the  road.  This  place 
will  eventually  be  a  popular  resort  for  those  who 
are  seeking  for  fossiliferous  remains,  and  those 
who  delight  in  fishing.  Here  is  the  outfitting 
point  for  hunting  and  fishing  parties  who 
desire  to  go  either  north  or  south,  and  here 
is  the  head  center  for  Rocky  Mountain  spec- 
imens, fossils,  petrifactions,  etc.,  and  travelers 
would  like  to  know  beforehand  just  what  accom- 
modations they  can  obtain.  Mr.  Kitchen  is  able 
to  provide  for  all,  in  elegant  style,  at  reasonable 
prices.  Here,  also,  he  has  on  exhibition  and  for 
sale  the  spacim-sns  alluded  to — such  as  beautiful 
moss  agates,  fossil  fish,  petrified  shells  and  wood, 
with  othsrs  which  we  are  not  able  to  name.  Par- 


others  to  reclaim  the  soil,  but  thus  far 
with  indifferent  success,  though  Mr.  Fields 
was  quite  successful,  in  1875,  with  a  crop  of 
potatoes,  cabbages,  turnips,  radishes,  and  other 
"garden  truck." 

Stages  leave  here  for  the  Big  Horn  Waters 
and  other  towns  tri- weekly.  The  old  mud 
huts  are  beginning  to  find  occupants  again. 
The  Desert  House  is  the  only  hotel,  a 
pleasant  place  with  its  flowers,  ferns,  and 
pictures. 

The  high  projecting  tower  north  of  the 
track,  crowning  a  bluff,  is  625  feet  higher  than 
the  river  level  below,  and  about  615  feet  higjier 
than  the  track.  Other  rocks,  as  "  The  Sisters  " 
and  "  The  Twin  Sisters  "  will  be  readily  recog- 
nized by  the  passing  traveler. 

"  Wake  up,  wake  up,"  said  an  old  lady  to  her 
husband,  as  the  train  approached  the  station  one 


THE  TWIN  SISTERS,   GREEN   RIVER. 


ties  of  men  are  employed  to  search  the  hills, 
mountains  and  valleys  in  this  vicinity,  for  these 
specimens,  and  when  found,  to  bring  them  in. 
The  stock  is,  therefore,  continually  replenished 
with  rich  and  rare  gems  and  fossils,  and  they 
mav  here  be  obtained  at  any  tirm. 

Being  the  end  of  a  division,  Green  River  has  a 
large  roundhouse  with  fifteen  stalls,  and  the 
usual  machine  and  repair  shops.  The  railroad 
bursts  into  the  valley  through  a  narrow  gorge 
between  two  hills,  then  turns  to  the  rirrht  and 
enters  the  town,  crossing  the  river  beyond  on  a 
wooden  truss  bridge.  The  old  adobe' town,  re- 
mains of  which  are  still  visible,  was  on  the  bot- 
tom-land directly  in  front  of  the  gorge. 

Green  River  is  now  the  county-seat  of 
Sweetwater  County,  Wyoming,  and  has  a 
population  of  nearly  1,000  persons.  Efforts 
have  been  made  by  Air.  Fields  and  a  few 


morning  last  year;  "here  is  Solomon's  temple 
petrified,"  said  she,  as  she  gave  him  another 
shake.  The  old  gentleman  rubbed  his  eyes,  gave 
another  yawn,  and  finally  looked  out,  to  see  what 
excites  the  curiosity  of  every  traveler,  as  he 
arrives  at  this  place.  Sure  enough  :  it  seems  as 
though  some  great  temple  once  stood  here,  or 
several  of  them,  and  in  the  wrecks  of  time,  left 
their  gigantic  pillars  standing,  as  a  reminder  of 
their  former  greatness. 

The  Green  River, — The  peculiar  color  of 
this  river  is  not  owing  to  the  fact  of  any  discolora- 
tion of  the  water  ;  that,  when  the  banks  of  the 
stream  are  not  filled  by  freshets  of  itself  or  some 
of  its  tributaries,  is  very  pure  and  sweet,  and  of 
the  usual  color  of  clear  water,  but  is  owing  to 
the  green  shale  through  which  it  runs,  amd  which 
can  readily  be  seen  in  the  bluffs  in  the  vicinity 
and  for  quite  a  distance  up  Black's  Fork,  and 


102 


HSF. 


PETRIFIED  FISH  CUT,  GREEN  RIVER. 

which  is  supposed  to  contain  arsenic  or  chloride 
of  .copper,  which  b  3Com  as  detached  by  drainage 
and  fastens  itself  to  the  pebble  stones  and  bot- 
tom of  the  stream,  causing  the  water,  as  you 
look  into  it,  to  bear  the  same  color.  This  river 
rises  in  the  Wyoming  and  Wind  River  Mount- 
ains, is  fed  by  numerous  tributaries,  and  flows 
in  a  general  southerly  direction,  until  it  unites 
with  the  Colorado  River.  The  scenery  along  its 
banks,  most  always  rugged,  in  some  places  is 
sublime.  Where  it  is  crossed  by  the  railroad,  its 
valley  is  narrow,  enclosed  on  either  side  by  high 
bluffs,  which  have  been  washed  into  numerous 
fanciful  shapes  by  the  storms  of  time,  and 
which  are  crowned,  in  many  instances,  by  col- 
urns,  or  towers,  forcibly  reminding  one  of  the 
towers,  battlements  and  castles,  spoken  of  in 
the  old  feudal  times.  Its  tributaries,  nearly 
all  have  narrow  fertile  valleys,  which  are  be- 
ing occupied  by  stockmen,  and  which  afford 
both  hay  and  shelter  for  stock.  South  of 
the  railroad,  it  winds  through  the  famous  Col- 
orado Canon,  so  well  and  grandly  described 
by  Major  Powell,  the  explorer.  The  river  and 
its  surroundings  must  from  their  very  nature, 
always  be  a  source  of  interest  to  the  scien- 
tist, and  will  soon  become  a  popular  resort 
for  fossil  hunters,  gem  searchers  and  sports- 
men. 

Brown's  Hole. — This  is  a  beautiful  scene 
just  below  Red  Canon,  the  water  is  calm,  quiet, 
and  peaceful,  like  a  mirror,  with  wonderfully  dis- 
tinct reflections.  Here  is  the  last  quiet  stretch 
of  the  river  ere  it  enters  into  the  turbulent  pas- 
sage of  the  deeper,  gloomier,  and  larger  canon 


WEST  BANK  GREEN  RIVER,   LOOKING  EASTWARD. 

below.  The  sandy  beach,  at  the  left,  shows  the 
foot-prints  of  numerous  deer,  bears,  and  elk  that 
frequent  the  bank. 

Brown's  Hole  is  an  expansion  of  the  val- 
ley of  Green  River,  and  is  about  five  miles 
wide  and  thirty  miles  long.  This  is  a  name  given 
by  the  old  trappers, — 40  years  ago,  or  more — and 
has  been  a  favorite  wintering  place  for  stock. 
Little  or  no  snow  falls  in  the  valleys,  and  they  are 
so  well  surrounded  by  high  mountains,  that  the 
bleak  winds  of  winter  cannot  reach  them.  The 
valley  is  covered  with  wild  sage  and  bunch 
grass — and  at  the  time  of  the  visit  of  the  Hayden 
Exploring  Party,  there  were  2,200  head  of  Texas 
cattle,  just  driven  in,  to  fatten  for  the  California 
market.  In  the  north  sides  of  the  valley,  the  beds 
of  rock  have,  by  the  action  of  the  weather,  become 
shaped  into  innumerably  beautiful,  architectural 
forms,  like  the  ruins  of  pyramids. 

Giant's  Club. — This  is  fairly  a  giant  in  di- 
mensions,—  as  its  proportions  are  really  colos- 
sal. It  rises  with  almost  perpendicular  sides, 
and  is  impossible  to  scale  by  ascent.  The  rock 
is  valuable  for  its  curious  composition,  as  it  bears 
evidences  of  having  once  existed  at  the  bottom 
of  a  lake.  The  rock  lies  in  regular  strata,  all 
horizontal,  and  most  of  these  contain  fossils  of 
plants  and  fishes.  The  plants  are  all  extinct 
species,  and  closely  allied  to  our  fruit  and  forest 
trees  ;  among  them,  however,  are  some  palms, 
which  indicated  this  to  be,  in  original  times, 
vhen  the  deposit  was  formed,  a  very  warm 
climate.  Professor  Hayden,  in  examining  this 
rock,  and  others  near,  found  the  plants  in  the 
upper  part  of  the  rock,  and  about  a  hundred  feet 


103 


lower  down,  discovered  the  remains  of  fishes,  all 
of  them  belonging  to  fresh  water,  and  all  extinct 
species.  They  were  imbedded  in  oily  shales,  and 
insects  were  found  with  them,  in  a  remarkable 
state  of  preservation.  With  the  fishes  were  also 
found  feathers  of  birds,  and  a  few  reeds. 

Peculiarities  of  the  Green  River  Rocks. 
— To  the  curious  formation  of  rocks  which  give 
all  this  region  its  characteristic  features,  is  given 
the  name  of  the  Green  River  Shales ;  the  sedi- 
ments are  arranged  in  regular  layers,  mostly 
quite  thin,  but  varying  from  the  thickness  of  a 
knife-blade  to  several  feet.  These  peculiar 
layers,  or  bands,  are  quite  varied  in  shades  of 
color.  In  some  of  the  thin  slabs  of  shale,  are 
thousands  of  beautiful  impressions  of  fish,  some- 
times a  dozen  or  so  within  ths  compass  of  a 


ters  of  the  river  are  of  the  purest  emerald,  with 
banks  and  sand-bars  of  glistening  white.  The 
perpendicular  bluff  to  the  left  is  nearly  1,500  feet 
above  the  level  of  the  river,  and  of  a  bright  red 
and  yellow.  When  illuminated  by  full  sunlight, 
it  is  grand,  and  deserves  its  full  title  "  The  Flam- 
ing Gorge."  It  is  the  entrance  to  a  gateway  to 
the  still  greater  wonders  and  grandeurs  of  the 
famous  Red  Canon  that  cuts  its  way  to  a  depth 
of  3,000  feet,  between  this  point  and  its  entrance 
into  Brown's  Hole. 

Leaving  Green  River  the  railroad  crosses  the 
bridge,  turns  to  the  right,  and  runs  along  under 
the  bluffs  —  the  highest  being  about  350  feet 
high,  and  almost  over  the  river  in  one  place — for 
about  three  miles,  when  it  again  turns  to  the 
left,  passing  the  divide  where  there  is  an  \m- 


GIAUT'S  CLUB,  GBEEN  RIVEK. 


square  foot.  Impressions  of  insects  and  water 
plants  are  also  sometimes  found.  At  Burning 
Rock  Cut,  the  road  is  cut  through  thin  layers  of 
a  sort  of  cream-colored,  chalky  limestone,  inter- 
spersed with  strata  of  a  dark  brown  color, 
saturated  with  petroleum  as  to  burn  freely. 
The  Cut  derives  its  name  Burning  Rocks,  from 
the  fact  that  during  the  building  of  the  road 
the  rocks  became  ignited  and  burned  for  some 
days,  illuminating  the  labor  of  the  workmen  by 
night — and  filling  the  valley  with  dense  clouds 
of  smoke  by  day. 

Curious  Scenes  along  the  Green  River. 
— At  the  mouth  of  Henry's  Fork  there  is  a  view 
on  Green  River  of  great  beauty,  which  derives  its 
principal  charm  from  its  vivid  colors.  The  wa- 


GIANT'S  TEA-POT,  GREEN  EIVER. 


named  side  track,   and   along   a  hilly,  broken 
country. 

The  Sweetwater. — This  stream  rises  in  the 
Wind  River  Mountains,  directly  north  of  Point 
of  Rocks  and  Salt  Wells,  in  the  great  South 
Pass,  discovered  by  General  Fremont,  and  runs  in 
a  general  easterly  direction  uniting  with  the 
North  Platte  River  about  80  miles  north  of  Fort 
Steele.  South  of  it  is  the  Sweetwater  Mountain 
Range*  North  of  it  lay  the  Rattlesnake  Hills, 
which  are  said  to  be  one  continuous  chain  of 
broken  ragged  rocks  heaped  upon  each  other  in 
confused  masses.  They  are  utterly  barren  and 
desolate,  and  beyond  the  snakes  which  give  them 
their  name,  are  avoided  by  almost  every  living 
thing.  Near  the  mouth  of  this  river,  Independence 


104 


Rock,  a  noted  landmark  of  the  plains,  rises.  It 
is  011  the  line  of  the  Indian  trail,  to  the  upper 
North  Platte  Region,  and  near  it  has  been  found 
immense  deposits  of  soda  in  lakes  which  are 
said  to  be  nearly  pure,  and  which  are  soon  to  be 
worked.  The  valley  of  this  stream  is  rarely 
covered  with  snow  in  winter,  and  affords  ex- 
cellent grazing  for  stock  the  entire  year.  Were 
it  not  so  exposed  to  Indian  raids  in  summer,  it 
would  soon  be  occupied.  The  care  of  stock  re- 
quires horses  and  beyond  the  killing  of  a  few 
head  for  beef  occasionally,  the  Indians  do  not 
trouble  it ;  the  horses  are  what  they  want,  and 
what  they  come  after  and  scalps  will  be  taken, 
if  necessary  to  obtain  them.  Placer,  gulch  and 
quartz  gold  has  been  discovered  in  the  Wind 
River  Mountains,  near  the  Great  South  Pass, 
and  fortunes  have  been  made  and  lost  in  that 
mining  district  in  a  very  short  time.  They  have 
been  made  by  the  mining  sharks,  who  sold  their 
mines  to  the  inexperienced  and  uninitiated  from 
the  East,  and  lost  by  the  parties  who  were 
"  taken  in."  There  are  however  valuable  mines 
in  this  vicinity  (nearly  all  gold),  which  will 
some  day  be  developed.  To  the  east  of  the 
Wind  River  Mountains  the  Shoshone  or  Snake 
River  Indian  reservation  has  been  laid  off.  The 
principal  towns  are  Atlantic  City,  South  Pass 
City  and  Miner's  Delight,  a  mining  town.  Near 
Atlantic  City  is  Camp  Stambough  and  still 
farther  north  on  the  east  side  of  the  same  mount- 
ain, is  Camp  Brown,  the  latter  being  near  the 
boundary  line  of  the  Indian  reservation  referred 
to.  Very  fine  hot  mineral  springs  have  been 
found  on  or  near  this  reservation,  which  will 
eventually  be  extensively  patronized.  The  main 
road  by  which  these  places  are  reached,  leads  out 
from  Bryan  and  Green  River.  From  the  latter 
place  four-horse  coaches  are  run  tri-weekly, 
while  from  the  former  a  great  quantity  of  gov- 
ernment freight  is  annually  shipped.  The  road 
crosses  the  river  near  the  mouth  of  Big  Sandy 
Creek,  and  follows  up  this  stream,  and  its  south 
branch  to  Pacific  Spring,  after  which  it  crosses 
a  low  divide  to  a  tributary  of  the  Sweetwater. 
While  the  road  from  Point  of  Rocks  is  much 
shorter  yet  this  route  is  said  to  be  the  best  as  it 
follows  the  valley  of  a  stream  all  the  way,  and 
avoids  sand-hills  which  are  very  trying  to  stock. 
From  Green  River  the  road  at  present  traveled, 
passes  up  the  valley  until  it  strikes  the  Big 
Sandy,  where  it  intersects  the  road  from  Bryan. 
The  nearest  peaks  seen  on  the  north  side  of  the 
track,  as  you  pass  the  divide  just  west  of  Creston, 
are  those  of  the  real  Rocky  Mountain  Range,  and 
extend  in  a  north-westerly  direction  to  the  head 
of  the  Wind  River  Mountains,  from  which  they 
are  only  divided  by  the  Sweetwater  Valley.  Be- 
fore the  Lodge  Pole  Valley  Route  was  discovered 
via  the  Cheyenne  Pass,  the  North  Platte  and 
Sweetwater  Route  via  the  South  Pass  and  Big 
Sandy  was  the  main,  in  fact  the  great  overland 


route,  traveled  by  the  Mormons  and  Cali- 
fornia emigrants.  At  the  time  the  railroad  was 
built,  however,  the  Lodge  Pole  Route  was  the 
one  mainly  traveled.  The  vast  region  north  of 
the  railroad  between  the  Black  Hills  and  Green 
River  Valley,  contains  within  itself  the  germs  of 
a  mighty  empire,  only  waiting  for  the  united 
efforts  of  capital  and  labor  for  development. 

Bryan, — over  13  miles  from  Green  River, 
and  860  miles  from  Omaha,  with  an  elevation  of 
6,340  feet  or  just  200  feet  higher  than  at  Green 
River.  This  station  was  formerly  a  division  ter- 
minus at  which  time  it  was  a  place  of  consider- 
able importance.  The  government  has  a  depot 
here,  where  its  freight  for  Camp  Stambaugh, 
Camp  Brown  and  other  places  is  received.  The 
majority  of  the  freight  for  the  Sweetwater  Min- 
ing District  and  the  settlements  at  the  base  of 
the  Wind  River  Mountains,  South  Pass  City, 
Atlantic  City,  etc.,  is  also  shipped  from  this 
place,  the  distance  to  the  latter  city  being  90 
miles.  Bryan  is  the  first  station  where  the  rail- 
road strikes  Black's  Fork  of  the  Green  River. 
This  fork  rises  in  the  Uintah  Mountains,  directly 
south  of  Piedmont,  and  runs  in  a  north-easterly 
direction  till  it  reaches  Bryan,  then  turns  toward 
the  south-west  and  unites  with  Green  River  some 
twenty  miles  below  the  town  of  Green  River. 
The  valley  at  Bryan  is  quite  broad  in  places,  and 
thickly  covered  with  sage  brush  and  greasewood. 
The  soil  is  said  to  be  fertile  and  capable  of  pro- 
ducing large  crops  with  irrigation. 

Fort  Bridger,  eleven  miles  south  of  Carter 
Station,  is  on  this  stream,  and  at  that  place  over 
300  bushels  of  potatoes  have  been  raised  from  a 
single  half  acre  of  ground.  This  shows  what 
this  virgin  soil  can  do  if  irrigated.  The  table- 
land on  the  elevated  benches  that  the  traveler 
will  observe  on  either  side  of  the  road,  is  said  to 
be  equally  rich,  and  would  be  equally  as  prolific 
if  it  could  be  irrigated.  As  you  approach  Bryan, 
look  away  to  the  south  and  south-east,  and  you 
will  behold  the  towering  peaks  of  the  Uintah 
Mountains,  70  or  80  miles  off.  They  do  not 
look  so  distant,  but  then  distance  is  very  decep- 
tive in  this  country.  Bryan  is  a  telegraph  sta- 
tion with  a  store,  saloon,  and  a  few  houses — all 
that's  left  to  tell  the  story  of  its  better  and  de- 
parted days.  Its  early  history  is  the  same  as  all 
the  railroad  towns  we  have  mentioned,  with 
roughs,  cut-throats,  gamblers,  villains,  etc.,  and 
their  cleaning  out  by  vigilance  committees,  under 
law  administered  by  "Judge  Lynch." 

We  now  pursue  our  way  up  the  valley  of 
Black's  Fork.  Four  miles  west  of  Bryan,  the 
road  first  crosses  this  stream  which  it  follows  to 
Church  Buttes. 

Marston — is  the  next  station — a  side  track 
21  miles  from  Green  River,  and  867.6  miles  from 
Omaha  ;  elevation,  6,245  feet.  From  the  appar- 
ently level  plains  which  the  road  crosses,  abrupt 
buttes  or  bluffs  rise  as  if  built  by  human  hands 


105 


as  mounds  to  conceal  some  treasure,  or  to  perpet- 
uate some  remarkable  incident  in  history.  They 
form  a  curious  study,  and  awaken  no  little  in- 
terest in  the  mind  of  an  observing  traveler.  To 
the  left  of  the  track  there  are  a  number  of  low 
buttes  as  you  approach 

Granger, — the  next  station,  877.2  miles  from 
Omaha,  and  6,270  feet  above  the  sea.  It  is  a 
telegraph  station,  named  in  honor  of  an  old  set- 
tler here,  and  is  the  principal  shipping  point  on 
the  line  of  the  Union  Pacific,  for  Montana  and 
Idaho  cattle.  These  cattle  are  driven  to  this 
point  from  the  territories  named,  and  the  ship- 
ments are  increasing  every  year.  Yards  and 
chutes  have  been  erected  for  their  ac  commodation 
and  use.  Near  the  station  are  one  or  two  stone 
houses.  The  road  here  crosses  Him's  Fork,  a 
tributary  of  Black's  Fork,  which  rises  some  70 


to  Evanston,  in  great  profusion.  The  most  of 
them,  however,  are  valueless,  but  occasionally 
specimens  of  rare  beauty  are  picked  up.  On 
what  are  called  "  the  bad  lands,"  about  7  miles 
south  of  the  road,  however,  the  finest  agates, 
with  other  beautiful  gem;-,  are  obtained  with  lit- 
tle difficulty.  In  Ham's  Fork  water  agates, 
creamy  white,  and  amber  colored,  may  be  occa- 
sionally picked  up.  They  are  quite  rare,  and 
when  cut  by  the  lapidary,  are  held  to  be  of  con- 
siderable value. 

View  of  Uintah  Mountains. — The  view 
we  give  an  illustration  of,  on  page  80,  is  one  of 
the  finest  in  the  Far  West.  The  scene  is  taken 
from  Photograph  Ridge,  at  an  elevation  of 
10,829  feet.  In  the  foreground  is  a  picturesque 
group  of  the  mountain  pines.  In  the  middle 
distance  flows  Black's  Fork.  The  peaks  or  cones 


CHITRCH   BUTTES 

miles  north-west,  and  which,  the  old  settlers  say, 
is  really  the  main  stream  of  the  two.  The  banks 
of  this  stream,  as  far  as  you  can  see,  are  lined 
with  bushes,  and  farther  up,  its  valley  produces 
luxuriant  grass,  from  which  hay  is  cut,  and  upon 
which  numerous  herds  of  cattle  feed.  An  oval 
peak  rises  on  the  north  side  of  the  track,  beyond 
which,  in  the  distance,  may  be  seen  a  range  of 
bluffs,  or  mountains,which  rise  up  between  Ham's 
Fork  and  Green  River.  From  Granger  to  the 
next  station,  are  buttes  on  both  sides  of  the 
track,  while,  to  the  left,  the  high  -  peaks  of  the 
Uintah  Range  tower  up  in  the  distance,  affording 
one  of  the  grandest  views  on  the  line  of  the  road. 
This  is  the  region  of  moss  agates,  gems  of  vari- 
ous kinds,  and  precious  stones.  Agates  are  found 
all  along  the  line  of  the  road  from  Green  River 


ON  BLACK'S  FORK. 

in  the  distance  have  their  summits  far  above  the 
limits  of  perpetual  snow,  and  from  1.500  to  2,000 
feet  above  the  springs  that  are  the  sources  of  the 
streams  below.  These  cones  are  distinctly  strati- 
fied, mostly  horizontal,  and  there  are  frequently 
vast  piles  of  purplish,  compact  quartzite,  which 
resemble  Egyptian  pyramids  on  a  gigantic  scale, 
without  a  trace  of  grit,  vegetation,  or  water.  One 
of  these  remarkable  structures  stands  otit  isolated 
from  the  rest,  in  the  middle  of  the  Valley  of 
Smith's,  Fork,  and  is  so  much  like  a  Gothic 
church,  that  the  United  States  Surveying  Party 
gave  it  the  name  of  Hayden's  Cathedral,  after 
the  leader  of  the  exploration. 

Church  Itnttes, — 887.7  miles  from  Omaha ; 
elevation,  6,317  feet.  The  particular  buttes, 
from  which  the  station  derives  its  name,  are 


106 


about  10  miles  south  of  the  station,  on  the  old 
overland  stage  road,  but  buttes  rise  up  from  the 
level  plains  in  this  vicinity  in  every  direction. 
They  are,  however,  fast  washing  away.  The 
annual  increase  iii  rain-fall  on  this  desert,  since 
the  completion  of  the  railroad  and  the  stretch- 
ing of  live  telegraph  wires,  is  remarkable,  and 
is  especially  noticed  by  the  old  settlers.  These 
rains,  with  the  frosts  of  winter,  are  having  a 
noticeable  effect  on  the  buttes.  Isolated  peaks 
have  disappeared  entirely —  and  prominent  pro- 
jections have  been  materially  lessened.  There 
are  still  a  large  number,  however,  chiseled  by 
the  action  of  frosts  and  rains  into  fantastic 
shapes  which  will  excite  the  attention  and  rivet 
the  gaze  of  the  traveler,  as  he  passes  by ;  but,  if 
their  annual  diminution  continues,  in  less  than 
half  a  century,  they  will  have  lost  their  interest. 
Near  this  station  is  the  last  crossing  of  Black's 
Fork,  which  now  bears  away  to  the  left,  while 
the  road  ascends  another  of  its  branches,  called 
ths  Big  Muddy.  What  has  been  said  in  refer- 
ence to  agates,  etc.,  of  the  other  stations,  will 
apply  to  Church  Buttas  with  equal  force. 

Curious  Scientific  Explorations.  — 
Church  Buttes  is  a  curious  formation,  located  on 
the  line  of  the  old  overland  stage  route,  about 
one  hundred  and  fifty  miles  east  from  Salt  Lake, 
and  at  this  point  having  an  elevation  of  6,731 
feet.  The  formation  is  part  of  the  Mauvaiaes 
Turres,  or  Bad  Lands,  and  consists  of  a  vast  de- 
posit of  sedimentary  sandstones,  and  marly  clay, 
in  perfectly  horizontal  strata,  and  contain  within 
thsir  beds,  some  very  remarkable  paleontological 
remains.  The  peculiar  effects  of  stormy  weather 
and  flood,  in  the  past,  has  carved  the  bluff-lines 
into  the  most  curious  and  fantastic  forms — lofty 
domes  and  pinnacles,  and  fluted  columns,  these 
rocks  resembling  some  cathedral  of  the  olden 
tim?,  standing  in  the  midst  of  desolation. 

Professor  Hayden,  in  speaking  of  them  says, 
"  Distance  lends  a  most  delicious  enchantment  to 
tha  scene,  and  the  imagination  can  build  many 
castles  from  out  of  this  mass  of  most  singular 
formation.  A  nearer  approach  dispels  some  of 
the  illusions,  but  the  mind  is  no  less  impressed 
with  the  infinite  variety  of  detail  and  the  scat- 
tered remains  of  the  extinct  life  of  some  far  dis- 
tant age." 

In  this  section  are  found  "  moss  agates,"  in  the 
greatest  abundance,  being  scattered  all  over  the 
surface  of  the  country.  Standing  upon  one  of 
the  summits  of  the  highest  point  of  the  "Bad 
Lands,"  Hayden  says,  "  as  far  as  the  eye  can 
reach,  upon  every  side,  is  a  vast  extent  of  most 
infinite  detail.  It  looks  like  some  ruined  city  of 
the  gods,  blasted,  bare,  desolate,  but  grave,  beyond 
a  mortal's  telling."  In  1870,  a  geological  expedi- 
tion, headed  by  Prof.  O.  C.  Marsh,  of  Yale  College, 
and  known  as  the  "  Yale  College  Expedition  of 
1870  "  —  visited  the  "  Bad  Lands  "  and  made  a 
geological  examination.  They  were  accompanied 


by  Buffalo  Bill,  a  military  troupe,  and  ten  Pawnee 
Indians,  as  guides.  On  the  way,  Professor  Marsh 
endeavored  to  explain  the  mighty  changes  of 
geology  and  the  grand  discoveries  they  would 
make — and  as  Buffalo  Bill  intimated,  some  of 
them  were  "  pretty  touyh  yarn.*."  The  desolation 
of  the  country  can  only  be  imagined,  not  de- 
scribed— hour  after  hour  the  party  marched  over 
burning  sand-hills,  without  rocks  or  trees,  or 
signs  of  water,  while  the  thermometer  stood  at 
110°  in  the  shade  of  the  wagons.  After  fourteen 
hours  in  the  saddle,  one  of  the  soldiers,  exhaust- 
ed with  heat  and  thirst,  finally  exclaimed : 
"  What  did  God  Almif/hty  make  auch  as  this  for  .*" 
"  Why,"  replied  another  more  devout  trooper, 
"  God  Almighty  made  the  country  good  enough, 
but  it's  this  deuced  geology  the  professor  lalks  about, 
that  spoiled  it  all. ' ' 

For  fresh  water  the  party  had  to  thank  the 
favor  of  a  thunder-shower,  during  which  they 
drank  from  the  rims  of  each  other's  hats.  Their 
researches  resulted  in  the  discovery  of  the  re- 
mains of  various  species  of  the  camel,  horse, 
mammals,  and  others  new  to  science.  A  branch 
of  this  expedition  exploring  the  canons  and 
plains  of  Northern  Colorado,  discovered  a  large 
deposit  which  contained  great  quantities  of 
fossil  turtles,  and  rhinoceros,  birds,  and  the  re- 
mains of  the  areodon, — a  remarkable  animal 
combining  the  characteristics  of  the  modern 
sheep,  pig  and  deer.  The  remains  of  another  mon- 
ster, the  Titano/herium,  were  found  of  such  vast 
proportions,  that  a  lower  jaw  measured  over  four 
feet  in  length.  At  Antelope  Station,  in  one  of 
these  areodon  beds,  remains  were  found  of 
several  species  of  horse ; — one  a  three-toed  ani- 
mal, and  another  which,  although  full  grown,  had 
attained  the  height  of  but  two  feet.  In  an  ex- 
ploration near  Green  River — the  expedition 
found  petrified  fishes  in  abundance,  and  a  small 
bed,  containing  fossil  insects,  a  rare  discov- 
ert/. Here  were  beetles  and  dragons,  flies  and 
grasshoppers ;  a  gigantic  fossil  mosquito,  and 
an  extinct  flea  of  greut  dimensions  were  also 
discovered.  At  Fort  Wallace,  Ks.,  the  party 
found  a  trophy  in  the  form  of  a  skeleton  of  a 
sea  serpent  nearly  complete,  which  alone  re- 
quired four  days  to  dig  out  and  bring  to  the 
camp.  This  monster  when  alive  could  not  have 
been  less  than  60  feet.  It  had  a  slender  eel- 
like  body  and  tail,  with  mouth  like  a  boa-con- 
strictor. 

Among  the  curious  incidents  which  happened, 
was  the  discovery  of  a  genuine  Sioux  Indian  bur- 
ial ground.  The  dead  were  reposing  on  platforms 
of  boughs  elevated  above  the  ground,  and  sup- 
ported at  the  four  corners  by  poles  about  eight 
feet  in  height.  On  one  of  these  tombs  lay  two 
bodies, — a  woman,  decked  in  beads  and  bracelets, 
and  a  scalpless  brave,  with  war  paint  still  on  the 
cheeks,  and  holding  in  his  crumbling  hand, 
a  rusty  shot-gun,  and  a  pack  of  cards.  Several 


107 


incident*  occurred  from  the  abundance  of  rattle- 
snakes. Several  animals  were  bitten  by  them, 
and  the  country  at  some  places  fairly  swarmed 
with  them.  Numbers  were  killed  every  day  by 
the  horses'  feet,  and  while  members  of  the  party 
would  occasionally  bathe  in  the  river,  these 
reptiles  would  bask  upon  the  bank  of  the  stream 
near  their  clothes,  as  one  of  them  says,  "  Their 
humming  soon  became  an  old  tune,  and  the 
charm  of  shooting  the  wretches  wore  away  for 
all  but  one,  who  was  collecting  their  rattles  as  a 
necklace  for  his  lady  love." 

Hampton, — a  little  over  50  miles  from  Green 
River,  897.1  miles  from  Omaha,  and  6,500  feet 
above  the  sea.  It  is  simply  a  side  track  where, 
occasionally,  trains  meet  and  pass.  Approaching 
this  station,  two  large  buttes  lift  themselves 
above  their  fellows  on  the  left  side  of  the  track, 
while  beyond,  a  low,  dark  ridge  may  be  seen  cov- 
ered with  cedars.  In  this  ridge  is  an  abundance 
of  game  and  good  hunting  at  almost  any  season 
of  the  year.  The  game  consists  of  elk,  coyotes, 
wolves,  deer,  bears,  etc.  About  three  miles  be- 
fore you  reach  the  next  station,  you  will  notice 
off  to  the  right  of  the  track,  a  long,  low,  dark  ridge. 
It  is  also  covered  with  cedars,  and  it  strikes  the 
road  near  Bridger  Station.  There  are  also  plenty 
of  cedars  in  the  bluffs  to  the  left  before  you 
reach 

Carter, — the  next  station,  which  is  904.6 
miles  from  Omaha,  and  6,550  feet  above  the  sea. 
The  station  is  named  in  honor  of  Col.  Dick 
Carter,  whose  home  is  here,  and  who  has  lived 
here  since  the  completion  of  the  railroad.  It  is 
the  nearest  railroad  station  to  Fort  Bridger, 
which  is  located  on  Black's  Fork,  11  miles  due 
south,  and  reached  by  daily  stages  from  this 
point.  Colonel  Carter  is  about  to  try  the  experi- 
ment of  raising  crops  at  this  station.  He  has 
built  a  dam  across  the  creek  and  dug  a  ditch 
nearly  2,000  feet  long,  which  will  irrigate  the 
ground  he  proposes  to  till.  Near  Carter,  also, 
one  can  hardly  go  amiss  of  moss  agates  and 
other  curious  specimens.  About  20  miles  a 
little  north-west  of  this  station,  is  a  mountain 
of  coal  on  a  tributary  of  Little  Muddy.  In 
this  mountain  are  found  three  splendid  veins  of 
coal,  of  total  thickness  of  87  feet,  which  can  be 
traced  over  ten  miles,  also  layers  of  slate  25  to 
30  feet  in  depth.  The  coal  resembles  cannel  coal, 
and  makes  excellent  coke  for  smelting  purposes. 
Seven  miles  north  of  Carter,  a  white  sul- 
phur spring  was  discovered  in  the  summer 
of  1875,  whose  waters  will  equal,  if  not 
surpass  those  of  the  celebrated  springs  of 
Virginia.  Within  about  a  hundred  yards  of 
these  sulphur  springs,  and  at  the  same  time,  a 
chalybeate  spring  was  also  discovered,  but  its 
waters  have  not  yet  been  analyzed,  though  their 
medicinal  qualities  are  said  to  be  excellent. 
There  is  also,  a  fine  fresh  water  spring  near  by. 
A  branch  railroad  from  Carter  would  pass  these 


springs,  and  reach  the  mountain  of  coal  in  a  dis- 
tance of  24  miles. 

Smith's  Fork,  a  branch  of  Black's,  is  about  five 
miles  south  of  Fort  Bridger,  and  Henry's  Fork, 
of  Green  River,  is  some  25  miles  still  farther 
south,  and  is  noted  for  its  rich  grazing.  It  is 
mostly  occupied  by  stockmen  as  a  winter  range, 
and  large  numbers  of  cattle  are  annually  win- 
tered without  hay  in  its  valley.  Smith's  and 
Henry's  Forks  are  filled  with  trout,  and  afford 
fine  fishing,  while  there  is  an  abundance  of  game, 
such  as  elk,  deer,  antelope  and  bear  to  attract 
the  hunter  and  sportsman.  A  plenty  of  sage 
hens  give  fine  shooting  in  the  summer  months. 
Carter  is  a  telegraph  station,  and  has  a  store 
from  which  ranchemen,  hunters,  and  others  ob- 
tain supplies.  It  was  formerly  an  eating-station 
on  the  road  and  was  renowned  for  the  splendid 
trout  which  were  served  up  by  Colonel  Carter, 
who  was  its  proprietor.  A  government  road  to 
Fort  Ellis,  Montana,  and  the  Yellowstone  Park, 
has  been  surveyed  from  this  station  by  way  of 
Bear  River  Valley  and  the  Soda  Springs  in  Idaho. 
It  is  some  80  miles  nearer  than  by  Ogden  or 
Corinne,  over  a  fine  route,  and  will  probably 
be  opened  in  a  year  or  two. 

Uridger, — 914.1  miles  from  Omaha,  with  an 
elevation  of  6,780  feet.  It  is  a  telegraph  station 
named  in  honor  of  Jim  Bridger,  who  was  a  noted 
hunter  and  guide,  for  government  and  other  ex- 
peditions. Since  leaving  Bryan,  we  have  been 
going  up  hill  all  the  time,  and  our  ascent  will 
now  be  rapid  until  we  pass  the  divide  between 
Piedmont  and  Aspen.  The  country  is  exceed- 
ingly broken  and  rough  on  each  side  of  the  track, 
while  the  valley  of  the  Big  Muddy  narrows  up, 
as  we  approach  the  summit. 

Leroy, — is  the  next  station.  It  is  919.1  miles 
from  Omaha,  and  7,123  feet  above  the  level  of 
the  sea.  In  passing  over  only  five  miles  of  road, 
we  have  ascended  nearly  350  feet.  Leaving  this 
place,  you  will  observe  old  telegraph  poles  still 
standing  on  the  left  of  the  track.  They  mark 
the  line  of  the  old  overland  road.  About  two 
miles  west  of  Leroy,  at  the  base  of  a  hill  or 
bluff,  south  of  the  track,  are  some  excellent  Soda 
Springs.  They  are  near  the  road,  and  trains 
sometimes  stop  to  enable  passengers  to  drink  the 
water.  In  1875,  an  emigrant  train  stopped  at 
these  springs  a  few  minutes,  when  one  of  the 
passengers,  on  the  way  to  the  springs,  picked  up 
a  most  beautiful  moss  agate,  in  which  there  were 
six  clearly  defined,  conical  shaped  trees,  each  one 
perfect  in  shape  and  form.  The  hills  and  val- 
leys in  this  vicinity  continue  to  abound  in  agates 
and  other  curious  specimens,  while  soda,  iron 
and  fresh  water  springs,  are  numerous,  some- 
times in  close  proximity  to  each  other. 

Piedmont. — Here  the  road,  after  crossing  it, 
leaves  the  Muddy,  which  comes  in  from  the 
south.  This  station  is  ten  miles  from  Leroy, 
929.1  miles  from  Omaha,  and  has  an  elevation  of 


108 


7,540  feet.  In  summer,  the  scenery  along  this 
part  of  the  road  is  delightful,  while  in  winter  the 
storms  are  severe,  the  wind  blowing  almost  a 
constant  gale,  while  the  snow  drifts  mountains 
high.  There  are  several  snow  sheds  along  this 
part  of  the  road,  the  longest  being  on  the  sum- 
mit, 2,700  feet  in  length.  The  road  having  to 
wind  around  the  spurs  and  into  the  depressions 
of  the  hills,  is  very  crooked,  in  one  place  doub- 
ling back  on  itself.  We  are  now  crossing  a  high 
ridge  in  the 
Uintah  Mount- 
ains, and  the 
second  highest 
elevation  on  the 
Union  Pacific. 
Off  to  the  left 
these  mountains 
in  higher, grand- 
er forms,  lift 
their  summits 
toward  the 
clouds,  and  are 
most  always 
covered  with 
snow,  while 
their  sides  are 
lined  with  dark 
green — the  col- 
or of  the  pine 
forests,  which 
partially  envel- 
op them.  While 
the  road  was  be- 
ing built,  large 
quantities  o  f 
ties,  telegraph 
poles  and  bridge 
timber,were  cut 
on  the  Foot 
Hills,  near  these 
mountains,  and 
delivered  to  the 
company.  About 
two  miles  north- 
west of  Pied- 
mont, is  a  won- 
derful Soda 
Spring.  The 
sediment  or  de- 
posits Of  this  INTERIOR  OF  SNOW 

spring  have  built  up  a  conical-shaped  body  with  a 
basin  on  the  top.  In  this  basin  the  water  appears, 
to  a  small  extent,  and  has  evidently  sometime 
had  a  greater  flow  than  at  present ;  but,  as  similar 
springs  have  broken  out  around  the  base  of  this 
cone,  the  pressure  on  the  main  spring  has,  doubt- 
less, been  relieved,  and  its  flow,  consequently, 
lessened.  The  cone  is  about  15  feet  high  and  is 
well  worthy  of  a  visit  from  the  tourist.  At 
Piedmont,  the  traveler  will  first  observe  the  per- 
manent coal  pits,  built  of  stone  and  brick,  which 


are  used  in  this  country  for  the  manufacture  of 
charcoal  foi  the  smelting  works  of  Utah.  There 
are  more  of  them  at  Hilliard  and  Evauston,  and 
they  will  be  more  fully  described  then. 

Leaving  Piedmont,  the  road  makes  a  long 
curve,  like  a  horse-shoe  doubling  on  itself,  and, 
finally,  reaches  the  summit  of  the  divide  in  a 
long  snow  shed,  one  of  the  longest  on  the  road. 
Aspen, — the  next  station,  it  is  938.5  miles 
from  Omaha,  and  has  a  reported  elevation  of 

7,835  feet.  It 
is  not  a  great 
distance —  only 
about  two  miles 
— from  the  sum- 
mit. Evidences 
of  change  in  the 
formation  of  the 
country  are 
everywhere  visi- 
ble, and  the 
change  affords  a 
marked  n  lief  to 
the  weary  mo- 
notony of  the 
desolate  plains 
over  which  we 
have  passed. 
Down  the  grade 
we  now  pass 
rapidly,  with 
high  hills  on 
either  side  of 
the  track  — 
through  a  lovely 
valley,  with  an 
occasional  fill, 
and  through  a 
deep  cut,  to  the 
next  station. 

Hilliard, — 
a  new  station, 
opened  for  busi- 
ness in  1873.  is 
943.5  miles  from 
Omaha,  with  an 
elevation  of 
7,310  feet.  The 
town  owes  its 
importance  to 
the  Hilliard 
Flume  &  Lumber  Company,  which  has  extensive 
property  interests  here,  and  in  the  vicinity.  In 
approaching  the  town  from  Aspen,  the  road 
passes  down  a  "  draw "  or  ravine,  through 
a  cut  on  a  curve,  and  near  this  place 
enters  the  Bear  River  Valley,  one  of  the 
most  beautiful,  and  so  far  as  has  been  demon- 
strated, fertile  valleys  of  the  Rocky  Mountains. 
Two  things  excite  the  curiosity  of  the  traveler 
if  he  has  never  seen  them  before ;  one  is  the  coal 
pits,  and  the  other  is  the  elevated  flume  under 


SHEDS,   U.    P.   R.    R. 


109 


which  trains  of  cars  pass.  This  flume,  built  of 
timber  and  boards,  is  24  miles  long,  and  is  2,000 
feet  higher  where  it  first  takes  the  water  from 
Bear  River,  than  where  it  empties  the  same  at 
Milliard.  The  greatest  fall  in  any  one  mile  is 
320  feet.  The  timber  which  is  brought  to  the 
station  by  this  flume,  is  obtained  in  large 
amounts  in  the  foot  hills  of  the  Uintah  Mount- 
ains, or  on  the  mountains  themselves  and  is 
mostly  pine.  The  saw-mill  of  the  company, 
erected  at  tha  head  of  this  flume,  has  a  capacity 
of  40,000  feet  in  2i  hours,  with  an  engine  of  40 
h  o  r  s  e-p  o  w  e  r. 
Over  2,000,000 
feet  of  lumber 
were  consumed 
in  the  construc- 
tion of  this 
flume,  and  its 
branches  in  the 
mountains. 
Through  it 
cord- wood,  lum- 
ber, ties  and 
saw-logs  are 
floated  down  to 
the  railroad. 
The  cord-wood 
is  used  for  char- 
coal. You  will 
observe  the  con- 
ical shaped  pits 
in  which  it  is 
made,  near  the 
railway  track, 
on  the  right,  as 
you  pass  west- 
ward. There 
are  29  pits  or 
kilns  at  Hilli- 
a  r  d ,  nineteen 
small  ones,  and 
ten  large  ones. 
The  small  kilns 
require  twenty- 
six  cords  of 
wood  at  a  fill- 
ing, and  the 
large  ones  forty  cords.  The  small  ones  cost 
about  .1750,  each ;  the  large  ones  $900.  These 
kilns  consume  2,000  cords  of  wood  per  month, 
and  produce  100,000  bushels  of  charcoal  as  a  re- 
sult, in  the  same  time.  There  are  other  kilns 
about  nine  miles  south  of  the  town,  in  active  oper- 
ation. There  are  fine  iron  and  sulphur  springs 
within  three-fourths  of  a  mile  of  the  station. 
The  reddish  appearance  of  the  mountain  we 
have  just  passed  indicates  the  presence  of  iron 
in  this  vicinity  in  large  quantities,  and  coal  also 
begins  to  crop  out  in  different  places  as  we  go 
down  the  valley.  Bear  River  is  renowned  for 
its  trout.  They  are  caught  south  of  the  road  in 


ROCK  CUT,  NEAR  ASPEN. 


the  mountain  tributaries,  and  north  of  Evans- 
ton,  in  Bear  Rmr  Lake.  Though  the  country 
has  somewhat  changed  in  appearance,  and  a  dif- 
ferent formation  has  been  entered  upon,  we  have 
not  passed  the  region  of  agates  and  gems, 
precious  and  otherwise.  They  are  found  in  the 
vicinity  of  Hilliard,  in  large  quantities,  together 
with  numerous  petrifactions  of  bones,  etc.,  with 
fossilized  fish,  shells,  ferns  and  other  materials. 

Twenty-five  miles  a  little  south-west  of  Hil- 
liard are  found  two  sulphur  mountains.  The 
sulphur  is  nearly  90  per  cent,  pure,  in  inex- 
haustible quan- 
tities. 

The  scenery  of 
the  Upper  Bear 
River  is  rugged 
and  grand. 
About  20  miles 
south  of  Hil- 
liard is  a  nat- 
u  al  fort  which 
was  taken  pos- 
session of  by  a 
gang  of  horse 
thieves  and  cut- 
throats, under 
the  lead  of  one 
Jack  Watkins, 
a  genuine  front- 
ier ruffian,  who, 
with  his  com- 
panions, for  a 
long  time  re- 
sisted all  at- 
tempts at  cap- 
ture. 

The  hills  and 
mountains  in 
this  vicinity 
abound  in 
game,  and  offer 
rare  induce- 
ments  to  sports- 
m  e  n .  The 
country  around 
both  Hilliard 
and  Evanston  is 
the  natural  home  for  bears,  elk,  deer,  catamounts, 
lynx,  wolves,  coyotes,  wolverines,  beaver,  mink, 
foxes,  badgers,  mountain  lions,  wild  cats,  jack 
rabbits,  etc.,  grouse  sage  hens,  quails  and  ducks 
in  the  spring  and  fall.  Not  far  north  of  Evans- 
ton,  on  Bear  River,  is  Bear  Lake,  ten  miles  in 
length,  and  from  five  to  eight  in  breadth.  The 
boundary  line  between  Idaho  and  Utah  passes 
directly  across  the  lake  from  east  to  west. 

Sofia  Sprinf/s.— Farther  north,at  the  Big  Bend 
of  Bear  River,  the  most  interesting  group  of  soda 
springs  known  on  the-  Continent,  occupy  some 
six  square  miles.  To  those  graced  with  steam 
vents,  Fremont  gave  the  name  of  Steamboat 


110 


Springs,  from  the  noise  they  make  like  a  low- 
pressure  engine.  Near  by  is  a  spring  with  an 
orifice  brightly  stained  with  a  brilliant  yellow 
coating  of  oxide  of  iron,  from  which  the  water  is 
thrown  up  two  feet. 

Independence  Rock. — This  has  long  been 
a  noted  landmark,  for  travelers  on  the  old  over- 
land wagon  route.  Its  base  which  borders  the 
road  is  literally  covered  with  names  and  dates, 
some  of  them  even  before  Fremont's  expedition 
crossed  the  Continent — many  more  well  knowrr. 

The  Sweetwater  River  flows  immediately 
along  the  southern  end  of  it,  and  on  the  opposite 
side  of  the  stream  is  another  ridge  similar  to  it, 
continuing  from  the  south-west,  which  was  once 
connected  with  it.  It  is  a  huge  example  of  dis- 
integration ;  its  rounded  form  resembles  an 
oblong  hay-stack,  with  layers  of  rocks  lapping 
over  the  top  and  sides  of  the  mass.  Thin  layers 


another  conspicuous  landmark, — the  Twin  Peaks, 
which  really  are  but  one  high  peak  in  the  ridge, 
cleft  down  the  centre,  dividing  it  in  two,  nearly  to 
the  base. 

View  in  the  Uintah  Mountains. — The 
view  we  give  on  page  80,  is  taken  from  Photo- 
graph Ridge,  elevation,  10,829  feet,  —  by  the 
Hayden  Exploring  Expedition,  and  is  one  of  the 
grandest  and  most  perfect  mountain  views  in  the 
West.  The  traveler,  as  he  passes  rapidly 
through  Echo  and  Weber  Canons,  and  casually 
notices  the  chain  of  mountains  at  the  south,  can 
form  no  idea  of  their  beauty  and  grandeur. 
Professor  Hayden  says  of  this  view  "  In  the  fore- 
ground of  our  view  is  a  picturesque  group 
of  the  mountain  pines.  In  the  middle  dis- 
tance, glimmering  in  the  sunlight  like  a  silver 
thread,  is  Black's  Fork,  meandering  through 
grassy,  lawn-like  parks,  the  eye  following  it  up 


INDEPENDENCE   ROCK. 


have  been  broken  off  in  part,  and  huge  masses 
are  scattered  all  around  it.  On  some  portions  of 
the  sides  they  lap  down  to  the  ground,  with  so 
gentle  a  descent  that  one  can  walk  up  to  the  top 
without  difficulty.  The  rock  has  a  circum- 
ference of  1,550  yards.  The  north  end  is  193 
fe«t  in  height,  and  the  opposite  end,  167  feet, 
with  a  depression  in  the  center  of  75  feet. 

Devil's  Gate  on  the  Sweetwater. — Follow- 
ing up  the  valley  from  Independence  Rock,  and 
five  miles  north,  is  another  celebrated  natural 
curiosity.  The  Devil's  Gate,  a  canon  which  the 
Sweetwater  River  has  worn  through  the  Granite 
Ridge  cutting  it  at  right-angles.  The  walls  are 
vertical,  being  about  350  feet  high,  and  the  dis- 
tance through  is  about  300  yards.  The  current 
of  the  stream  through  the  gate  is  slow,  finding 
its  way  among  the  fallen  masses  of  rock,  with 
gentle,  easy  motion,  and  pleasant  murmur. 

Fifteen  miles  farther  above  tha  Devil's  Gate,  is 


to  its  sources,  among  the  everlasting  snows  of 
the  summit  ridge.  The  peaks  or  cones  in  the 
distance,  are  most  distinctly  stratified  and  ap- 
parently horizontal  or  nearly  so,  with  their  sum- 
mits far  above  the  limits  of  perpetual  snow,  and 
from  1,500  to  2,000  feet  above  the  springs  that 
rise  from  the  streams  below." 

Gilbert's  Peak, — is  one  of  the  highest  peaks 
of  the  Uintah  Mountain  Range,  named  after 
General  Gilbert  of  the  U.  S.  A.  It  has  near  its 
summit  a  beautiful  lake  of  11,000  feet,  and 
above  this  rises  the  peak  abruptly  2,250  more. 
Total,  13,250  feet. 

Throughout  these  mountains  are  very  many 
lakes, — which  gather  among  the  rocks  bordered 
with  dense  growth  of  spruce  trees,  and  form  a 
characteristic  feature  of  the  scenery. 

Bear  River  City. — After  leaving  Hilliard, 
th<?  road,  as  it  continues  down  the  valley  of  Sul- 
phur Creek,  passes  the  site  of  Bear  River  City,  a 


Ill 


once  famous  town,  but  which  now  has  not  a  sin- 
gle building  to  mark  where  it  once  stood ;  a  mile 
and  a  half  west  of  Milliard  will  be  seen  the  head- 
boards of  the  graves  of  early-day  rioters.     The 
city  was  laid  out  in    1868,  and  tor  a  time  there 
was  high  speculation  in  lots,  and  once  the  popula- 
tion  reached  as   high   as   2,001)    persons.     Fre- 
quent garrotings,  deaths  and  robberies,  led  to  the 
organization  of  a  vigilance  committee,  who  hung 
three  of  the  desperadoes.     An  active  fight  after- 
wards   ensued 
between     the 
citizens     and 
the  mob,  who 
had  organized 
to  revenge  the 
death    of    one 
of   their  num- 
ber.    The  citi- 
zens were  well 
protected     b  y 
the  wall  of  a 
store,    and   by 
active  firing 
killed  16  of  the 
rioters,    with 
other  losses, 
never    known. 
From  that  day 
the  place  was 
dropped  by  ths 
railroad,     and 
it     faded     en- 
tirely away. 

Millis  —  is 
the  next  sta- 
tion, 947.5 
miles  from 
Omaha,  with 
an  elevation  of 
6,790  feet.  It 
is  an  unim- 
portant sids 
track,  where 
trains  occa- 
sionally pass. 
Its  location  is 
about  a  mile 
and  a  half  ba- 
low  or  west  of 
the  site  of  B3ar 
River  City. 

Leaving  Mi  His  th.3  road  soon  crosses  Bear  River 
over  a  low  trestle-work — an  opening  being  left 
in  the  embankment  for  the  passage  of  surplus 
water  in  time  of  freshets.  The  entire  valley 
here  has  been  known  to  be  covered  with  water 
in  the  spring. 

Evanston, — 957  miles  from  Omaha;  eleva- 
tion, 6,770  feet.  It  is  the  county-seat  of 
Uintah  County,  Wyoming  Territory,  and  the 
last  town  going  west,  in  Wyoming.  It  con- 


tains about  1,500  people,  and  is  a  thriving 
business  place,  owing  to  proximity  of  the  coal 
mines,  its  lumber  interests  and  the  location  of 
the  division  roundhouse  of  twenty  stalls,  with 
car  and  machine-shops — giving  constant  employ- 
ment to  a  large  number  of  men.  The  town  is 
located  on  the  western  bank  of  Bear  River,  and 
has  abundant  water  power  that  might  be  utilized 
in  various  manufactories.  A  large  saw -mill,  inn 
by  a  lumber  company,  gets  its  logs  from  the 

mountains  to- 
ward the  h(  ad 
of  the  stream. 
They  are  rolled 
into  the  river, 
and  floated 
down  to  the 
mill.  This 
place,  also,  has 
a  few  charcoal 
kilns— lumber, 
coal  and  char- 
coal, being  the 
principal  piod- 
u  c  t  s  of  the 
town.  Evans- 
ton  is  a  regu- 
lar dinner  sta- 
tion—train  s 
from  the  east 
and  west  stop- 
ping thirty 
minutes  for 
dinner.  You 
will  dine  at  the 
"Mountain 
Trout  Hotel," 
a  well-kept 
house,  where 
everything  is 
scrupulously 
neat — the  food 
being  plainly, 
but  well  cock- 
ed. At  this 
house,  the  trav- 
eler will  find 
regular  Chi- 
n  e  s  e  waitei  s, 
dressed  in  Chi- 
nese costume, 

THE  DEVIL'S  GATE  ON  THE  SWEETWATEE.  '      quick,  pO  1  i  t  6 

and  attentive,  and  you  can  here  piatify  your  cu- 
riosity by  seeing  and  talking  \\ith  thfm.  Game 
and  trout  will  usually  be  found  on  the  tables,  in 
their  season.  The  proximity  of  this  eating-sta- 
tion, and  the  one  kept  at  Green  River,  to  the  great 
trout-fishing  regions  of  the  Rocky  Mountains, 
creates  an  expectation,  on  the  part  of  the  traveler, 
that  he  will  usually  find  the  speckled  beauties 
served  up  at  these  stations,  nor  is  he  often  dis- 
appointed, in  the  proper  season  of  the  year. 


112 


The  town  has  good  schools,  three  or  four 
churches  and  au  excellent  court-house.  A  daily 
and  weekly  newspaper — •'  The  Evansion  Age,"  is 
published  here.  Bear  River,  which  runs  through 
this  place,  rises  in  the  Uintah  Mountains,  on  the 
south,  and  runs  in  a  general  northerly  direction 
to  the  great  soda  springs  in  Idaho,  about  120 
miles  directly  north  of  Echo  City.  It  then  turns 
to  the  south-west  and  empties  into  Great  Salt 
Lake,  near  Corinne.  Its  valley  is  pretty  well 
settled  by  Mormons,  and  others,  all  the  way 
round  its  great  bend.  Near  the  location  of  these 
soda  springs,  and  at  the  northern  extremity  of 
Bear  River 


Mountains,  evi- 
dences of  vol- 
canic action  are 
everywhere  visi- 
ble, and  extinct 
craters  are  no 
uncommon 
thing. 

Evanston  i  s 
built  r mostly  on 
the  left  side  of 
the  track,  as  you 
enter  the  town, 
the  valley  ris- 
ing into  the  hill 
behind  it.  This 
hill,  were  it  not 
for  the  hard 
winds  and  deep 
snows  of  winter, 
would  afford 
some  very  fine 
building  spots, 
and  for  summer 
residences  must 
b  e  delightful. 
In  winter,  how- 
ever, some  of 
the  little  houses 
that  skirt  the 
hill  on  the  west- 
ern borders  of 
the  place,  are 
literally  covere  I 


with  snow  which  drifts  over  the  hills  from 
the  south.  The  agricultural  prospects  of  the 
valley,  lower  down,  are  said  to  be  flattering 
— the  Mormon  farmers  producing  fine ;  crops. 
Near  Evauston  there  are  a  number  of  cattle 
ranches  where  hay  is  cut.  and  cattle  have  to  be 
fed  and  sheltered  during  the  winter.  There  have 
also  been  some  successful  experiments  in  raising 
potatoes,  cabbages,  turnips,  parsnips,  radishes,  let- 
tuce, onions  and  other  "  garden  truck,"  while  oats, 
barley  and  wheat  can  undoubtedly  be  raised  in 
favorable  seasons.  Notice  the  altitude  of  this 
place,  and  then  the  traveler  can  form  the  best 
opinion  as  to  whether  agriculture,  as  a  steady  busi- 


ness, can  be  made  successful.  Candor  compels 
us  further  to  say  that  frosts  may  happen  during 
every  one  of  the  summer  months. 

Sporting. — Evanston,  however,  possesses  all 
the  attractions  which  delight  the  sportsman. 
The  mountains  to  the  north  and  south,  and  the 
high  hills  in  the  immediate  vicinity,  are  full  of 
ganiti,  while  Bear  River  is  renowned  for  its  trout. 
The  streams  flowing  into  Bear  River,  on 
either  side,  both  north  and  south  of  the 
town,  are  full  of  .  trout,  and  afford  excellent 
sport  in  .those  seasons  of  the  year  when  their 
catching  is  not  prohibited  by  law,  while 

Bear  Lake,  some 
sixty  miles 
north,  from  all 
that  we  could 
learn  about  it, 
is  the  chosen 
home  of  trout 
and  the  very 
paradise  of  fish- 
ermen. Sport- 
ing parties  can 
obtain  guides, 
outfits,  and 
accommodations 
at  Evanston, 
from  which 
place  they  can 
hunt,  fish,  visit 
the  Sulphur 
Mountains,  and 
search  for  fos- 
sils, etc.,  to  their 
heart's  content. 
It  is  one  of  the 
most  favorable 
points  on  the 
line  of  the  road 
for  recreation 
and  amusement, 
and  will,  event- 
ually, become  a 
noted  resort  for 
tourists. 

Chinamen  be- 

LAKK  LAL.  OR  MOORE'S  LAKE.  HEAT)  OF  BKAR  RIVER.  gin      tO      tllickeil 

as  you  proceed  west.  At  Evanston  they  have 
quite  a  settlement,  the  shanties  and  buildings 
on  the  right  of  the  track  and  opposite  the  depot 
being  "China  Town."  Here  they  have  their 
"  Joss  "  house,  saloons  and  residences.  A  h  Say, 
their  head  man,  speaks  very  good  Enerli^h,  has 
his  Chinese  wife  with  him,  and  with  the  exc  ]  - 
tion  of  the  inevitable  "cue,"  dresses  and  appears 
like  the  Americans,  with  whom  he  has  now  lived 
for  about  fifteen  years. 

About  three  miles  from  Evanston,  on  the  east 
side  of  Bear  River,  is  Alma,  the  coal  miners' 
town.  Here  coal  mines  belonging  to  the  Cen- 
tral Pacific,  the  Union  Pacific,  and  to  S.  II. 


113 


Winsor  are  worked.  Mr.  Winsor  is  just  open- 
ing his  mine — which  is  nearest  to  Evanston — 
while  the  other  mines  have  been  worked  for 
some  time.  "  The  Rocky  Mountain  Coal  Com- 
pany," is  the  name  of  the  corporation  which 
supplies  the  Central  Pacific  with  coal.  In  1875, 
this  company  mined  98,897  tons,  or  9,890  cars 
of  coal.  They  have  three  mines  open.  In  one 
year,  not  long  since,  they  mined  about  150,000 
tons,  or  15,000  cars.  The  Union  Pacific  having 
other  mines  along  their  road  do  not,  of  course, 
mine  as  much  here  as  does  the  Rocky  Mountain 
Company. 

A  Mountain  on  fire. 

Do  not  be  startled  at  this  announcement,  yet 
this  is  a  genuine  fact ;  the  companies  operating 
these  mines,  have  been  put  to  immense  labor  and 
expense  to  keep  under  control  an  immense  fire  in 
their  coal  veins.  These  mines  took  fire  from 
spontaneous  combustion  in  this  way.  They 
perhaps  took  out  too  much  coal  in  the  first 
place,  that  is,  did  not  leave  pillars  enough 
to  support  the  overhanging  walls;  what  is 
called  "  slack " — coal  that  has  crumbled  by 
action  of  air — was  also  allowed  to  accumulate 
iu  the  mine.  The  vein  of  fire  clay  next 
above  the  vein  of  coal  fell  down  on  this  slack, 
and  caused  spontaneous  combustion  of  the 
coal  underneath  it.  A  fire  with  a  perpetual 
supply  of  fuel  is  rather  a  hard  thing  to  master. 
and  in  a  coal  mine  generally  awakens  no  small 
amount  of  anxiety.  In  tact,  it  is  very  danger- 
ous. As  soon  as  it  was  discovered,  and  its  loca- 
tion fixed,  the  company  immediately  began  to 
wall  around  it ;  they  ceased  all  operations  in  its 
immediate  vicinity,  and  with  rock,  lime  and 
sand,  made  their  air-tight  walls  along  "  the 
slopes,"  between  "  the  rooms  "  and  across  "  the 
air  passages,"  until  the  outside  air  was  com- 
pletely shut  out,  and  the  fire  entirely  shut  in, 
and  awaited  further  developments.  Occasionally 
it  breaks  out  over  a  piece  of  this  wall,  and  then 
they  begin  farther  back  and  wall  again.  But 
the  fire  is  not  extinguished  and  probably  never 
will  be.  Water  will  not  quench  it,  its  action  on 
the  fire  clay  only  increases  the  difficulty.  Inside 
of  these  fire  walls,  pillar  after  pillar  of  the  coal 
left  standing  to  support  the  roof  has  been  con- 
sumed, and  the  earth  and  rocks  above  have 
fallen  into  the  cavity,  leaving  great  craters  on  the 
side  of  the  mountain,  and  the  rock-ribbed  pile 
itself  has  seamed  and  cracked  open  in  places  above 
the  burning  fires.  Air  has  thus  got  in  and  the 
rains  and  melting  snows  of  spring  run  into  these 
fissures  and  craters,  dissolving  the  fire  clay,  and 
thus  add  to  the  extent  of  the  burning  mass. 
But  everything  goes  on  around  the  mine  with- 
out excitement,  and  as  though  nothing  had  hap- 
pened. Watchmen  are  kept  on  duty  all  the  time, 
and  the  first  appearance  of  the  fire  near  the 
walls  is  detected  and  a  new  wall  built.  And 


thus  while  the  smouldering  fires  are  burning  up 
the  coal  in  one  part  of  the  mine,  men  are  taking 
it  out  unconcernedly  in  another  part,  to  supply 
the  locomotives  with  the  power  to  generate 
steam 

How  long  the  fire  will  burn  no  one  can  tell. 
It  will  only  stop  when  the  fuel  upon  which 
it  feeds  is  exhausted,  and  this  can  only  be 
cut  off  by  mining  all  around  it,  taking  out 
the  full  thickness  of  the  vein — 26  feet — and 
thus  exhausting  the  supply.  It  will  then  cave 
in  and  the  rest  of  the  mine  can  be  saved. 
Coal  mining  has  its  dangers,  not  the  least 
of  which  are  "  slack  and  waste "  which  result 
in  fires.  In  Mine  No.  1,  of  the  Rocky  Mount- 
ain Coal  Company,  the  fire  is  confined  in  a  space 
250  by  600  feet*  In  Mine  No.  2,  owned  by 
same  company,  it  is  confined  by  a  space  175  by 
1,100  feet. 

A  Valuable  Coal  Mine. — Leaving  Evans- 
ton,  in  about  two  miles  the  branch  to  Alma 
turns  off  to  the  right,  and  the  town  with 
hoisting  works  of  the  coal  companies  can 
be  plainly  seen,  together  with  a  beautiful  view 
down  the  Bear  River  Valley.  On  what  is  called 
Twin  Creek,  down  this  valley,  the  Wyoming  Coal 
&  Coke  Company,  have  discovered  and  located  a 
coal  mine  41  miles  due  north  from  Evanston. 
The  mine  is  on  the  east  side  of  Bear  River. 
This  company  has  what  it  claims  to  be  a  mount- 
ain of  coal.  The  veins  on  the  ground  level  are 
four  and  one-half  feet  thick,  above  it  there  are 
about  six  feet  of  slate  ;  then  a  ten  foot  vein  of 
coal ;  then  sandstone  about  five  feet  thick — 
what  miners  call  "  Winn  rock ; "  then  three 
feet  of  fire  clay ;  then  two  feet  of  coal ;  then  al- 
ternate layers  of  fire  clay  and  coal  26  feet ;  then 
125  feet  of  solid  fire  clay ;  then  sandstone,  lime- 
stone, etc.,  to  the  summit,  it  being  about  400 
feet  above  the  level  surface  around  it.  A  shaft 
has  been  sunk  from  the  ground  level,  and  an- 
other vein  of  coal  struck  ten  feet  below  the  sur- 
face. We  are  minute  in  giving  this  description 
of  this  coal  mine,  because  it  is  claimed  that  the 
coal  it  furnishes  will  coke,  that  it  will  give  50 
per  cent,  coke,  and  coke  is  the  great  demand  of 
the  smelting  furnaces  in  the  mining  regions  of 
this  part  of  the  Continent.  It  is  claimed  that 
the  tests  which  have  been  applied  to  this  coal, 
establish  conclusively  its  coking  qualities  and 
ovens  for  coking  purposes  have  been  put  in. 
The  work  of  the  present  year  will,  satisfactorily 
determine  the  question  whether  coking  coal  can 
be  found  in  the  Rocky  Mountains.  The  history 
of  rich  mineral-producing  regions  is  that  the 
metals  are  usually  (because  cheaper)  brought  to 
the  fuel  instead  of  carrying  the  fuel  to  the  metal. 
Hence  if  these  coal  mines  are  proved  to  produce 
good  coke,  a  town  of  smelters  must  spring  up 
near  by. 

Wahsatch, — a  telegraph  station,  on  the  divide 
between  Bear  River  Valley  and  Echo  Canon.  It 


ROCKS  NEAR  ECHO  CITY. 
1.— Bromley's  Cathedral.    2.— Castle  Rock.    3.— The  Great  Eastern.    4.— Hanging  Rock. 


115 


is  968  miles  irom  Omaha,  and  reported  to  be 
6,879  feet  above  the  level  of  the  sea.  The  road 
here  crosses  a  low  pass  in  the  Wahsatch  Range 
of  Mountains.  As  you  ascend  the  beautiful  val- 
ley leading  to  this  station,  the  grim  peaks  of  the 
Uintahs  tower  up  in  the  distance  on  your  left, 
while  the  adjoining  hills  shut  out  the  higher  ele- 
vations of  the  Wahsatch  Range,  on  the  north. 
Leaving  Evanston,  the  road  turns  abruptly  to 
the  left,  and  the  town  and  valley  are  soon  lost  to 
sight.  Four  miles  out,  on  the  left  side  of  the 
track,  the  traveler  will  notice  a  sign  put  up  on  a 
post — the  east  side  of  which  reads,  "  Wyoming." 
the  west  side,  "  Utah."  Wahsatch  was  formerly 
a  terminus  of  a  sub-division  of  the  road,  and 
contained  the  regular  dining-hall  of  the  company, 
with  roundhouse,  machine  and  repair  shops,  etc. 
The  water  in  the  tank  is  supplied  from  a  mount- 
ain spring  near  by,  and  a  "  Y "  for  turning 
engines,  and  a  small  house  to  shelter  one,  is 
about  all  that  is  left  of  a  once  famous  town. 

Artesian  Wells. — It  has  been  our  candid 
opinion  that  the  great  plains,  basins  and  alkali 
deserts  which  lie  between  the  Rocky  Mountains 
and  Sierras  can  all  be  reclaimed  and  soil  made 
fertile  by  the  sinking  of  artesian  wells.  The  en- 
tire Humboldt  Valley  can  be  made  productive 
by  this  means  alone.  As  a  proof  of  the  success 
of  sinking  artesian  wells,  we  can  mention 
several  along  the  Union  Pacific  Railroad.  Com- 
mencing at  Separation  and  terminating  at  Rock 
Springs,  a  distance  of  108  miles,  the  Union 
Pacific  Railroad  has  sunk  successfully  six  arte- 
sian wells : 

One  at  Separation,  6,900  feet  above  sea  level, 
is  1,180  feet  deep,  the  water  rising  to  within  10 
feet  of  the  surface. 

At  Creston,  7,030  feet  elevation,  the  well  is 
only  300  feet  deep,  furnishing  abundant  supply 
of  water  at  that  point. 

At  Washakie,  6,697  feet  elevation,  the  well  is  638 
feet  deep.  The  water  rises  15  feet  above  the,  sur- 
face, and  flows  at  the  rate  of  800  gallons  per  hour. 

At  Bitter  Creek,  6,685  feet  elevation,  the  well 
is  696  feet  deep,  discharging  at  the  surface  1,000 
gallons  per  hour,  and  with  pumping,  yields  2,100 
gallons  per  hour. 

At  Point  of  Rocks,  elevation  6,490  feet,  the 
well  is  1,000  feet  deep,  and  the  supply  of  water 
abundant,  although  it  does  not  rise  to  the  sur- 
face nearer  than  17  feet. 

At  Rock  Springs,  at  an  elevation  of  6,280  feet, 
the  well  is  1,156  feet  deep,  and  discharges  at  the 
surface  960  gallons  per  hour,  or  at  26  feet  above 
the  surface,  571  gallons  per  hour. 

As  the  elevation  of  all  these  places  is  2,000  feet 
or  more  above  the  Salt  Lake  Valley,  and  also  the 
Humboldt  Valley,  there  is  every  probability  that 
the  sinking  of  artesian  wells  in  these  valleys 
would  result  in  an  immense  flow  of  water. 

Chinese  Workmen. — The  Chinese  are  em- 
phatically a  peculiar  people,  renowned  for  their 


industry  and  economy.  They  will  live  comfort- 
ably on  what  the  same  number  of  Americans 
would  throw  away.  Their  peculiarities  have 
been  so  often  described  that  a  repetition  of  them 
to  any  great  extent  is  not  needed  here.  Never- 
theless a  sight  of  them  always  awakens  a  curios- 
ity to  know  all  there  is  to  be  known  concerning 
their  customs,  habits,  social  and  moral  relations, 
etc.  A  great  deal  that  they  do  is  mysterious  to  us, 
but  perfectly  plain  and  simple  to  them.  In  their 
habits  of  eating,  for  instance,  why  do  they  use 
"  chopsticks "  instead  of  forks  ?  "  Same  as 
'Melican  man's  fork  "  said  one  as  we  watched  its 
dextrous  use.  Their  principal  articles  of  diet 
seem  to  be  rice  and  pork.  They  reject  the  great 
American  fashion  of  frying  nearly  everything 
they  cook,  and  substitute  boiling  instead.  In 
the  center  of  a  table,  or  on  a  bench  near  by,  they 
place  a  pan  filled  with  boiled  rice.  To  this  each 
one  of  the  "  mess  "  will  go  and  fill  his  bowl  with 
a  spoon  or  ladle,  return  to  the  table  and  take  his 
"  chopsticks  " — two  slender  sticks,  about  the 
length  of  an  ordinary  table  knife,  and  operate 
them  with  his  fingers  as  if  they  were  fastened 
together  with  a  pivot,  like  shears,  lifting  the 
bowl  to  his  mouth  every  time  he  takes  up  the 
food  with  the  "  chopsticks."  The  pork  for  a 
"  mess  "  will  be  cut  into  small  pieces  and  placed , 
in  one  dish  on  the  table  from  which  each  one 
helps  himself  with  these  "  chopsticks. "  In 
other  words  "they  all  dive  into  one  dish"  for 
their  pork.  They  are  called  "  almond-eyed 
celestials  " — but  did  you  ever  notice  how  much 
their  eyes  resemble  those  of  swine? 

The  first  gang  of  Chinamen  you  meet  with  on 
the  road  are  employed  near  Table  Rock ;  for- 
merly they  extended  to  Rawlins,  but  they  are  in- 
efficient laborers,  although  industrious,  especi- 
ally in  the  winter.  We  shall  see  more  of  them 
by  the  time  we  reach  the  Pacific  Coast.  Rock 
Springs  as  a  town  is  mostly  composed  of  dug- 
outs, shanties,  holes  in  the  ground,  etc.,  occupied 
by  miners,  including  Chinamen,  together  with  a 
few  substantial  buildings,  such  as  the  company's 
store,  a  good  school-house,  two  or  three  ordinary 
hotels  and  the  customary  saloons.  The  impor- 
tance of  the  town  is  wholly  due  to  the  coal  trade, 
otherwise  it  would  be  nothing. 

ECHO  AND  WEBER  CANONS. 

And  now,  with  full  breath  and  anxious 
heart,  repressed  excitement  and  keen  zest, — 
we  anxiously  scan  the  scenes  from  car  win- 
dows or  platforms,  and  prepare  for  one  grand, 
rushing  descent  into  the  glories  of  Echo  Canon. 
The  writer  will  never  forget  the  feelings  of  over- 
whelming wonder  and  awe,  as  with  the  seal  of  ad- 
miration in  both  eye  and  lips,  the  ride  through  this 
famous  canon  was  enjoyed.  Rocks  beside  which 
all  eastern  scenes  were  pigmies,  rose  up  in  astound- 
ing abruptness  and  massiveness — colossal  old  Ti- 
tans of  majestic  dimensions,  and  sublimely  soar- 


116 


ing  summits,  and  perpendicular  sides, — succeeded 
each  other  for  miles,  and  the  little  company  of 
spectators,  seemed  but  an  insignificant  portion  of 
the  handiwork  of  the  Almighty.  The  train  of 
cars,  which,  on  the  plain,  seemed  so  full  of  life, 
and  grand  in  power,  here  was  dwarfed  into 
baby  carriages ;  and  the  shriek  of  the  whistle,  as 
it  echoed  and  resounded  along  the  cliffs  and  from 
rock  to  rock,  or  was  hemmed  in  by  the  confines 
of  the  amphitheatre,  appeared  like  entering 
the  portals  to  the  palace  of  some  Terrible 
Being.  Into  the  short  distance  of  sixty  miles 
is  crowded  a  constant  succession  of  those 
scenes  and  objects  of  natural  curiosity,  which 
form  the  most  interesting  part  of  the  road, 
and  have  made  it  world-wide  in  fame.  Jt 
seems  hard,  after  nearly  a  week  of  expectation 
and  keen  anxiety  for  a  glimpse  of  such 
scenes  of  grandeur,  and  after  more  than  two 
days  of  steady  riding  over  the  smooth  surface  of 
the  rolling  upland  plain,  to  find  all  the  most 
magnificent  objects  of  interest  crowded  into  so 
short  a  space,  and  passed  in  less  than  three 
hours. 

Travelers  must  remember,  however,  that  the 
scenes  witnessed  from  the  railroad  are  but  a  very 
little  portion  of  the  whole.  To  gather  true  re- 
freshing glimpses  of  western  scenery,  the  tourist 
must  get  away  from  the  railroad,  into  the  little 
valleys,  ascend  the  bluffs  and  mountains,  and 
views  yet  more  glorious  will  greet  the  eye.  Echo 
Canon  is  the  most  impressive  scene  that  is  beheld 
for  over  1,500  miles,  on  the  overland  railroad. 
The  constant  succession  of  rocks — each  growing 
more  and  more  huge,  and  more  and  more  perpen- 
dicular and  colossal  in  form — make  the  attrac- 
tions of  the  valley  grow  upon  the  eye  instead  of 
decrease. 

The  observer  enters  the  canon  about  on  a  level 
with  the  top  of  the  rocks,  and  even  can  overlook 
them,  then  gradually  descends  until  at  the  very 
bottom  of  the  valley  the  track  is  so  close  to  the 
foot  of  the  rocks,  the  observer  has  to  elevate  his 
head  with  an  upward  look  of  nearly  90°,  to  scale 
their  summits.  Let  us  now  prepare  to  descend, 
and  brace  ourselves  eagerly  for  the  exhilaration 
of  the  ride,  the  scenery  of  which  will  live  with 
you  in  memory  for  years. 

Entering  Echo  Canon.  —  Leaving  Wah- 
satch  we  pass  rapidly  down  grade,  into  the 
canon,  and  we  will  point  out,  in  detail,  all 
objects  of  interest  as  they  are  passed,  so  that 
travelers  may  recognize  them.  From  Wahsatch, 
especially,  you  want  to  look  with  all  the  eyes  you 
have,  and  look  quick,  too,  as  one  object  passes 
quickly  out  of  sight  and  another  comes  into  view. 
About  a  mile  from  Wahsatch,  you  will  notice 
what  is  called  the  "  Z  "  canon  where  the  road 
formerly  zigzagged  down  a  small  canon,  on 
the  left,  and  passed  through  the  valley  of  the 
creek  to  near  Castle  Rock  Station,  where  it  united 
with  the  present  line.  Two  miles  farther  on, 


over  heavy  grades  and  short  curves,  you  enter 
tunnel  No.  2,  which  is  1,100  feet  long.  Pass- 
ing through  the  tunnel,  the  high  reddish  rocks, 
moulded  into  every  conceivable  shape,  and 
frequent  side  canons  cut  through  the  walls  on 
either  side  of  the  road.  You  reach  at  last 

Castle  Hock  Station, — about  eight  and  one- 
half  miles  from  Wahsatch,  976.4  miles  from 
Omaha  with  an  elevation  of  6,290  feet.  It  is  so 
called  from  the  rock  a  little  east  of  the  station 
which  bears  the  same  name.  Notice  the  arched 
doorway  on  one  corner  of  the  old  castle  just 
after  it  is  passed,  with  red  colored  side  pieces, 
and  capped  with  gray.  In  close  proximity  are 
some  needle  rocks — sharp-pointed — one  small  one 
especially  prominent.  Still  nearer  the  station  is 
a  shelving  rock  on  a  projecting  peak.  Opposite 
the  water  tank  are  rocks  worn  in  curious  shape. 
Further  on,  about  half  a  mile,  is  a  cave  with 
rocks  and  scattering  cedars  above  it.  Next 
comes  what  is  termed  "  Swallows'  Nest,"  be- 
cause of  the  numerous  holes  near  the  top, 
chiseled  out  by  the  action  of  both  water  and 
wind,  and  in  summer  sheltering  a  large  number 
of  swallows.  Toward  it  in  summer  months, 

"The  Swallows  Homeward  fly." 

Then  comes  a  honey-combed  peak  with  a 
shelving  gray  rock  under  it,  after  which  we  pass 
through,  what  the  railroad  boys  call  "  gravel  "  or 
"wet  cut  " — the  sides  being  gravel,  and  springs 
breaking  out  in  the  bottom  by  the  track.  Then 
Phillip's  Canon  juts  in  from  the  right  with 
yards  for  cattle  at  its  mouth.  See  the  curious 
formations  along  the  side  of  this  canon  as  you 
pass  it.  About  four  miles  from  the  last  station, 
are  other  castle  rocks  similar  in  appearance  to 
those  already  passed,  arid  rocks  with  caps  and 
slender  little  spires  like  needles.  Then  comes  a 
singular  perpendicular  column  jutting  out  in  front 
of  the  ledge,  with  outstretched  wings  as  if  it 
would  lift  itself  up  and  fly,  but  for  its  weight. 

This  is  called  the  "  Winged  Rock."  If  there 
was  a  projection  in  front  to  resemble  a 
neck  and  head,  the  rock  would  appear  very 
much  like  an  eagle  or  some  other  large  bird, 
with  pinions  extended  just  ready  to  fly.  A  little 
below  this,  are  the  "  Kettle  Rocks  "  huge  gray- 
looking  boulders,  nearly  to  the  top  of  the  ledge, 
looking  like  immense  caldron  kettles.  Behind 
them  are  some  sharp-pointed  projections  like 
spires.  These  rocks  are  capped  with  red,  but 
gray  underneath.  Then  comes  "  Hood  Rock " 
a  single  angular  rock  about  half  way  to  the  top 
of  the  ledge,  worn  out  in  the  center,  and  resem- 
bling the  three-cornered  hoods  on  modern  ulster 
overcoats.  About  a  mile  before  reaching  the 
next  station,  the  rocks  are  yellow  in  appearance 
and  rounding  a  point  you  will  notice  sandstone 
layers  with  a  dip  of  more  than  45  degrees,  show- 
ing a  mighty  upheaval  at  some  period  in  the  re- 
mote past. 


117 


Hanging  Rock, — a  little  over  seven  miles 
from  Castle  Rock,  and  983.7  miles  from  Omaha; 
elevation,  5,974  feet.  The  descent  has  been 
very  rapid  since  we  struck  this  canon.  This 
station  is  wrongly  named.  All  books  and  guides 
which  represent  the  rocks  of  Echo  Canon  over- 
hanging the  railroad,  are  erroneous.  Nothing  in 
the  shape  of  a  hanging  rock  can  be  seen, 
but  as  you  pass  the  station,  you  will  notice  how 
the  elements  have  worn  out  a  hollow  or  cavity 
iii  one  place,  which  is  bridged  by  a  slim  gray 
rock,  nearly  horizontal  in  position,  forming  a 
natural  or  hanging  bridge  across  the  cavity, 
about  50  feet  in  depth.  It  can  be  seen  as  you 
pass  around  a  curve  just  after  leaving  the  sta- 
tion. Going  a  little  farther,  you  notice  what  is 
called  "  Jack-in-the-Pulpit-Rock,"  at  the  corner 
of  a  projecting  ledge,  and  near  the  top  there- 
of. A  round  gray  column,  flat  on  the  surface, 
stands  in  front  ;  this  is  the  pulpit,  while 
in  close  proximity  rises  the  veritable  "Jack" 
himself,  as  if  expounding  the  law  and  gospel  to 
his  scattering  auditors.  Then  comes  the 

North  Fork  of  Echo  Canon, — down 
which  more  water  annually  flows,  than  in  the 
main  canon.  Now  bending  around  a  curve,  if 
you  look  forward,  it  seems  as  though  the  train 
was  about  to  throw  us  directly  against  a  high 
precipice  in  front,  and  that  there  was  no  way  of 
escape ;  but  we  keep  onward  and  finally  pass 
safely  on  another  side.  We  now  approach  what 
are  called  "  the  narrows."  The  rocky  sides 
of  the  canon  seem  to  draw  together.  Notice 
the  frame  of  an  old  rickety  saw-mill  on  the 
left,  and  a  short  distance  below,  still  on  the 
left,  see  a  huge,  conical-shaped  rock  rising 
close  to  the  track.  We  are  particular  in  men- 
tioning these,  because  they  are  landmarks, 
and  will  enable  the  traveler  to  know  when 
he  is  near  the  ledge  on  the  right  of  the 
track,  upon  which  the  Mormons  piled  up 
stones  to  roll  down  on  Gen.  Albert  Sidney  John- 
son's army,  when  it  should  pass  here,  in  1857. 
The  canon  virtually  becomes  a  gorge  here,  and 
the  wagon  road  runs  close  to  the  base  of  the  high 
bluffs,  (it  could  not  be  made  in  any  other  place) 
— which  the  Mormons  fortified  after  a  fashion. 
Now  you  pass  these  forts ;  high  up  on  the  top, 
on  the  outer  edge  or  rim  you  will  still  see  small 
piles  of  stones  which  they  gathered  there  for  of- 
fensive operations,  when  the  trains  and  soldiers 
of  the  army  went  by.  They  look  small — they 
are  so  far  off,  and  you  pass  them  so  quickly — 
not  larger  than  your  fist — but  nevertheless  they 
are  there.  They  are  best  seen  as  they  recede 
from  view. 

At  the  time  we  speak  of,  (1857)  there  was 
trouble  between  the  Mormons  and  the  United 
States  authorities,  which  led  to  the  sending  of 
an  army  to  Salt  Lake  City.  Jt  approached  as 
far  as  Fort  Bridger,  where  —  the  season  being 
late — it  went  into  winter  quarters.  It  was  ex- 


pected to  pass  through  this  canon,  however,  that 
same  fall,  and  hence  the  preparations  which  the 
Mormons  made  to  receive  it.  Their  army — the 
Nauvoo  Legion,  reditnvus,  under  the  command  of 
Gen.  Daniel  II.  Wells,  had  its  camp  near  these 
rocks,  in  a  little  widening  of  the  valley  below, 
just  beyond  \\here  you  pass  a  "pocket"  of 
boulders,  or  detached  parts  of  the  ledges  above, 
which  have  sometime,  in  the  dim  past,  rolled 
into  the  valley.  The  rocky  fort  being  passed, 
with  the  pocket  of  boulders  and  the  site  of  the 
old  camp,  the  traveler  next  approaches  "  Steam- 
boat Rock,"  a  huge  red  projection  like  the  prow 
of  a  big  propeller.  A  little  cedar,  like  a  flag  of 
perpetual  green,  shows  its  head  on  the  bow, 
while  farther  back,  the  beginning  of  the  hurri- 
cane deck  is  visible.  It  slopes  off  to  the  rear, 
and  becomes  enveloped  in  the  rocky  mass 
around  it.  By  some,  this  is  called  "  The  Great 
Eastern,"  and  the  one  just  below  it,  if  anything, 
a  more  perfect  representation  of  a  steamer,  is 


SENTINEL  ROCK,  ECHO  CANON. 

called  "  The  Great  Republic."  They  are  really 
curious  formations,  and  wonderful  to  those  who 
look  upon  them  for  the  first  time.  "  Monument 
Rock"  comes  next.  It  is  within  a  cove  and 
seems  withdrawn  from  the  front,  as  though  shun- 
ning the  gaze  of  the  passing  world,  yet  in  a  posi- 
tion to  observe  every  thing  that  goes  by.  If  the 
train  would  only  stop  and  give  you  more  time — 
but  this  cannot  be  done,  and  your  only  recourse 


ROCK  SCENES  NEAR  ECHO  CITY. 
1. Witches  Rocks.    2.— Battlement  Rocks.    3.— Egyptian  Tombs.    4.— Witches  Bottles.    5.— Needle  Rocks,  near  Wahsatch. 


119 


is  to  pause  at  Eclio  and  let  it  pass,  while  you 
wait  for  the  one  following.  This  will  give  you 
ample  opportunity  to  see  the  natural  wonders 
congregated  in  this  vicinity.  We*  have  almost 
reached  the  mouth  of  Echo  Creek,  and  the 
Weber  River  comes  in  from  the  left,  opposite 
"  Bromley's  Cathedral,"  in  front  of  which  stands 
"Pulpit  Rock"  on  the  most  extended  point  as 
you  turn  the  elbow  in  the  road.  This  "  Cathe- 
dral "  is  namad  in  honor  of  J.  E.  Bromley,  Esq., 
who  has  lived  at 
Echo  since  1858, 
and  who  came 
here  as  a  divi- 
sion s  u  p  e  r  i  n- 
tendent  of  BJH 
Holiaday's 
Overland  Stage 
and  Express 
Line.  It  extends 
some  distance 
— a  mile  or  more 
—  around  the 
bend  in  the 
mountain,  and 
has  numerous 
towers  and 
spires,  turrets 
and  domes,  on 
either  sids. 
"Pulpit  Rock" 
is  so  called  from 
its  resemblance 
to  an  old-fash- 
ioned pulpit, 
and  rises  in 
plain  view  as 
you  go  round 
thi  curve  into 
Weber  Vall«y. 
It  is  a  tradition 
among  a  good 
many  people, 
that  the  "Proph- 
et of  the  Lord," 
who  now  pre- 
sides over  the 
church  of  "  The 
Latter  Day 
Saints,"  in  Salt 
Lake  City,  once 

preached  to  the  PULPIT  ROCK'  ECHO  CANON-LOOKING  WESTWARD 

assembled  multitude  from  this  exalted  emi- 
nence ;  but,  while  we  dislike  to  spoil  a  story 
that  lends  such  a  charm  to  the  place,  and 
clothes  it  with  historic  interest,  nevertheless, 
such  is  not  the  fact.  The  oldest  and  most 
faithful  Mormons  we  could  find  in  Echo, 
know  nothing  of  any  such  transaction.  Our 
cut  is  a  faithful  representation  of  this  re- 
markable rock.  It  is  estimated  to  be  about  sixty 
feet  high — above  the  track.  You  will  desire  to 


know  how  high  the  ledges  are,  which  have  been 
so  rapidly  passed.  We  are  informed  that  Mr. 
S.  B.  Reed,  one  of  the  civil  engineers  who 
constructed  this  part  of  the  railroad,  stated  that 
the  average  height  of  all  the  rocks  of  Echo  canon, 
is  from  6UO  to  800  feet  above  the  railroad. 

As  you  approach  the  elbow  referred  to,  there 
is  an  opening  through  the  mountains  on  the  left, 
and  in  close  proximity  to  "  Pulpit  Rock,"  the 
waters  of  Echo  Creek  unite  with  those  of  Weber 

River,  which 
here  come  in 
through  this 
opening.  If  not 
the  southern- 
most point  on 
the  line  of  the 
road,  it  is  next 
to  it.  You  have 
been  traveling 
in  a  south-west- 
erly  direction 
since  leaving 
Evanston ;  you 
now  round  the 
elbow,  t  u  i-  n 
toward  the 
north-west,  and 
arrive  at 

Echo,  —  a 
beautiful  spot — 
a  valley  nestled 
between  the 
hills,  with  evi- 
dences of  thrift 
on  every  hand. 
This  station  is 
nearly  nine  and 
a  half  miles 
from  Hanging 
Rock,  993  miles 
from  Omaha, 
and  5,315  feet 
above  the  level 
of  the  sea.  The 
town  and  the 
canon  are  light- 
ly named,  for 
the  report  of  a 
gun  or  pistol 
discharged  i  n 
this  canon  will 

bound  from  side  to  side,  in  continuous  echoes, 
until  it  finally  dies  away.  "  Bromley's  Cathe- 
dral "  rears  its  red-stained  columns  in  rear  of 
and  overshadowing  the  town,  while  opposite 
is  a  lofty  peak  of  the  Wahsatch  Range.  To 
the  right  the  valley  opens  out  for  a  short  dis- 
tance like  an  amphitheatre,  near  the  lower  ex- 
tremity of  which,  "The  Witches,"  a  group  of 
rocks,  lift  their  weird  and  grotesque  forms. 
They  are  about  half  way  to  the  summit  of  the 


120 


ledge  behind  them.  Weber  Valley,  from  its 
source  to  the  Great  Salt  Lake,  is  pretty  thickly 
settled  with  Mormons,  though  quite  a  number  of 
Gentiles  have  obtained  a  foothold  in  the  mines 
and  along  the  line  of  the  railroad. 

Upper  Weber  Valley. — From  this  station 
there  is  a  narrow  gauge  railroad  up  the  AVeber 
Valley  jo  Coalville,  seven  miles  in  length. 
The  town  has  two  or  three  stores,  hotels, 
saloons,  etc.,  and  a  school-house  is  to  be 
built  this  year.  Accommodations  for  fish- 
ing parties,  with  guides,  can  here  be  obtained. 

The   Echo   and  

Weber  Rivers, 
with  their  tribu- 
taries, abound 
in  trout,  while 
there  is  plenty 
of  game,  elk, 
deer,  bear,  etc., 
in  the  mount- 
ains. Richard 
F.  Burton,  the 
African  explor- 
er, visited  this 
canon  and  Salt 
Lake  City  in 
I860,  and  wrote 
a  book  called 
"City  of  the 
Saints,"  which 
was  published 
by  the  Harpers, 
in  1862.  He 
speaks  o  f  the 
wonders  of  this 
valley  as  fol- 
lows :  "Echo 
K  any  on  has  but 
one  fault;  its 
sublimity  will 
make  all  simi- 
lar features 
look  tame." 

Weber  River 
rises  in  the 
W  a  h  s  a  t  c  h 
Mountains, 
about  50  miles  in 
a  south-eastern  direction  from  Echo,  flows  nearly 
due  west  to  Kammas  City,  when  it  turns  to  the 
north-west  and  passes  in  that  general  direction 
into  the  Great  Salt  Lake,  not  far  from  Ogden.  Go- 
ing up  this  river  from  Echo,  Grass  Creek  flows  in 
about  two  and  a  half  miles  from  the  starting 
point.  This  creek  and  canon  runs  very  nearly 
parallel  to  Echo  Creek.  Very  important  and  ex- 
tensive coal  mines  have  been  discovered  fiom  two 
to  four  miles  up  this  canon.  It  is  not  as  wild  or 
rugged  in  its  formation  as  Echo  Canon.  The 
mines  are  soon  to  be  developed.  Two  and  a  half 
miles  above  the  mouth  of  Grass  Creek  is 


PULPIT  ROCK  AND  VALLEY.— LOOKING  SOUTHWARD. 


Coalville, — a  town  of  about  600  people,  with 
a  few  elegant  buildings,  among  which  are  the 
Mormon  bishop's  residence  and  a  line  two-story 
brick  court-house,  which  stands  on  an  elevation 
near  the  town,  and  can  be  seen  for  a  long  dis- 
tance. The  town  is  situated  on  the  south  side  of 
Chalk  Creek  where  it  empties  into  Weber  River. 
This  creek  also  runs  nearly  parallel  with  Echo 
Canon,  and  rises  in  the  mountains  near  the  head 
of  the  Hilliard  Lumber  Company's  flume.  It  is 
called  Chalk  Creek  from  the  white  chalky  ap- 
pearance of  the  bluffs  along  its  banks.  Coalville 

is  a  Mormon 
village,  and  its 
inhabitants  are 
nearly  all  em- 
ployed in  min- 
ing coal  from 
two  to  three 
miles  above  the 
town  where  the 
railroad  ends. 
This  road  is 
called  the  Sum- 
mit County 
Railroad,  and  is 
owned  by  some 
of  the  wealthy 
M  o  r  m o  n  s  in 
Salt  Lake  City. 
Four  miles  far- 
ther up  the 
Weber,  and  you 
come  to  Hoyts- 
ville,  another 
Mormon  village. 
It  is  a  farming 
settlement.  The 
town  h  a  s  a 
grist-mill.  Four 
miles  still  far- 
ther is  located 
the  town  of 
Wanship,  nam- 
ed after  an  old 
Ute  chief.  It 
has  about  400 
in  habitants, 
with  a  hotel, 
stores,  grist-mill,  saw-mill,  etc.  It  is  located  at 
the  junction  of  Silver  Creek  with  the  Weber. 
Still  going  up  the  Weber,  in  about  three  miles 
there  is  another  Mormon  settlement  called  Three 
Mile.  It  has  a  "co-op"  store,  bishop's  resi- 
dence, and  a  tithing  office. 

Peoa. — Leaving  Three  Mile,  and  pursuing 
the  course  still  up  one  of  the  most  beautiful  val- 
leys in  the  country,  the  tourist  will  reach  Peoa, 
a  nice  little  farming  town,  in  five  miles  travel. 
Evidences  of  thrift  and  of  the  successful  cultiva- 
tion of  the  soil,  are  visible  all  along  the  val- 
ley, but  it  is  a  wonderful  matter  to  eastern 


121 


SCENE  AT  MOUTH  OF  ECHO  CANON. 


men  who  know  nothing  of  the  characteris- 
tics of  the  soil,  and  see  nothing  but  sage 
brush  and  greasewood  growing  thereon,  how 
crops  can  be  raised  amidst  such  sterility. 
Irrigation  has  done  it  all.  The  labor  to  accom- 
plish it  has  been  immense,  but  thirty-five  to 
forty  bushels  of  spring  wheat  to  the  acre  attest 
the  result.  The  soil  has  been  proved  to  be  very 
prolific. 


Kammafi  Cifi/. — Next  on  this  mountain 
journey  comes  Kammas  City,  eight  miles 
beyond  Peoa,  on  Kammas  Prairie.  This  is 
an  elevated  plateau  about  four  miles  by  ten, 
and  affords  some  very  fine  grazing  lands 
and  meadows.  It  is  nearly  all  occupied  by 
stockmen.  Here  the  Weber  makes  a  grand  de- 
tour; coming  from  the  mountains  in  the  east,  it 
here  turns  almost  a  square  corner  toward  the 


122 


north,  and  then  pursues  its  way  through  valleys 
and  gorges,  through  hills  and  mountains  to  a 
quiet  rest  in  tiie  waters  of  the  Great  bait  Lake. 
Above  this  prairie  the  river  cuts  its  way  through 
a  wild  rocky  canon,  lashing  its  sides  with  foam 
as  though  angry  at  its  confinement,  out  into  the 
prairie  where  it  seems  to  gather  strength  for  its 
next  fearful  plunge  in  the  rocky  gorges  below. 
In  the  lofty  peaks  of  the  mountains,  east  of 
Kammas  Prairie,  in  the  frigid  realms  of  perpet- 
ual snow,  the  traveler  will  find  the  head  of  Weber 
River,  and  the  route  to  it  will  give  him  some  of 
the  grandest  views  to  be  found  on  the  American 
Continent. 

Parley's  Park.  —  The  old  stage  road  to 
the  "  City  of  the  Saints,"  after  leaving  Echo 
passed  up  the  Weber  to  Wanship,  at  the 
mouth  of  Silver  Creek ;  thence  nine  miles 
to  Parley's  Park,  a  lovely  place  in  summer, 
where  a  week  or  two  could  be  whiled  away 
in  the  beauty  of  the  valley  and  amidst  the 
grandeur  of  the  mountains.  There  are  three 
things  in  nature  which  make  a  man  feel  small — 
as  though  he  stood  in  the  presence  of  Divinity. 
These  are  the  ocean,  with  its  ceaseless  roar  ;  the 
mighty  plains  in  their  solitude,  and  with  their 
sense  of  loneliness ;  and  the  mountains  in  their 
towering  greatness,  with  heads  almost  beyond 
the  ken  of  mortal  vision,  and  crowned  with 
eternal  snows.  Parley's  Park  is  nearly  round  in 
shape,  about  four  miles  in  diameter,  and  almost 
surrounded  by  the  rocky  domes  of  the  Wahsatch 
Range.  The  old  stage  road  leaves  Park  City  to 
the  left,  and  reaches  the  summit  on  the  west  side 
of  the  divide;  thence,  it  follows  down  Parley's 
Canon  to  Salt  Lake  City,  forty-eight  miles,  by 
this  route,  from  Echo.  The  mountain  streams 
along  this  road  abound  in  trout,  while  elk.  deer 
and  bear,  will  reward  the  hunter's  toil.  There 
are  ranches  an  I  small  farms  by  the  way,  which 
will  afford  abundant  stopping  places  for  rest  and 
food ;  there  are  mines  of  marvelous  richness,  to 
reward  one's  curiosity,  if  nothing  else  will  do  it ; 
and,  in  fact,  there  is  probably  nothing  which  can 
be  gained  along  the  line  of  the  Union  Pacific, 
which  will  afford  so  much  gratification,  at  so  lit- 
tle expense,  of  either  money  or  time,  as  a  lei- 
surely jaunt  of  a  week  or  two  up  the  river  and 
its  tributaries  from  Echo. 

Characteristics  of  Echo  and  Welter 
Canons. — The  massive  rocks  which  form  Echo 
Canon,  are  of  red  sandstone,  which  by  the  steady 
process  of  original  erosion  and  subsequent  weather, 
have  worn  into  their  present  shape.  Their 
shapes  are  exceedingly  curious,  and  their  aver- 
age height,  500  to  800  feet.  At  the  amphithe- 
atre, and  the  Steamboat  Rock,  the  height  is 
fully  800  feet  to  the  summit.  There  is  a  bold 
projection  in  the  wall  of  rock  near  the  Pulpit, 
called  Hanging  Rock ;  but  it  is  composed  of  a 
mass  of  coarse  conglomerate,  which  is  easily 
washed  away,  and  is  not  very  easily  noticed. 


Pulpit  Rock  overlooks  Echo  City  and  the  val- 
ley of  the  Weber,  through  which  flows  a  pure 
beautiful  mountain  stream.  In  one  of  our 
illustrations  is  shown  a  railroad  train  passing 
through  this  valley  and  descending  to  the  en- 
trance of  Weber  Canon  just  below.  This  is  the 
sketch  of  the  special  excursion  train  of  the  New 
York  and  Eastern  Editorial  Excursion  Party 
of  1875,  who,  at  this  part,  the  center  of  the  val- 
ley, midway  between,  the  two  canons,  were,  pro- 
fuse in  Iheir  exclamations  of  delight  at  the 
scene  of  beauty. 

A  curious  feature  of  Echo  Canon  is  that  its 
scenery  is  entirely  on  the  right  or  north  side, 
and  that  the  Weber  Canon  has,  also,  upon  the 


MONUMENT   KOCK.— ECHO  CANON. 


same  side,  its  wildest  and  rnost  characteristic 
scenery.  The  entrance  and  departure  from 
each  canon  is  distinguished  with  great  abrupt- 
ness and  distinctness.  Travelers  who  can  enjoy 
the  fortunate  position  of  the  lowest  step  on  the 
platform  of  each  car,  can  witness  all  the  scenes 
of  Echo  and  Weber  Canons,  to  the  best  advan- 
tage. The  view  is  particularly  fine, — as •  when 
the  train  describes  the  sharp  turn,  under  and 
around  Pulpit  Rock,  the  view  from  the  last  plat- 
form includes  the  whole  length  of  the  train  on 
the  curve, — and  overhead  the  jutting  point  of 
the  rock,  and,  farther  above,  the  massive  Rock 
Mountain,  the  overlook  to  the  entire  valley.  Just 
as  the  train  rounds  at  Pulpit  Rock,  passengers 


123 


THE  CLIFFS  OF  ECHO  CANON,  UTAH. 

BY  THOMAS  MOKAN. 


124 


on  the  south  side  of  the  train,  will  have  a  pretty 
little  glimpse  of  the  upper  portion  of  Weber 
River,  with  its  green  banks  and  tree  verdure — a 
charming  relief  to  the  bare,  dry  plains,  so  con- 
stant and  even  tiresome.  A  curious  feature  of 
this  little  Weber  Valley,  are  the  terraces.  Near 
Echo  City  is  a  low,  narrow  bottom,  near  the 
river ;  then  an  abrupt  ascent  of  30  feet ;  then  a 
level  plain  or  bottom  of  200  to  400  yards ;  then 
a  gentle  ascent  to  the  rock  bluffs. 

The  Weber  River  is  exceedingly  crooked  in 
its  course, — originally  occupying  the  entire  width 
of  the  little  space  in  the  canon — and  in  construct- 
ing the  railroad  at  various  points,  the  road-bed 
here  has  been  built  directly  into  the  river,  to 
make  room  for  the  track.  The  average  angle  of 
elevation  of  the  heights  of  Weber  Canon  is  70 
to  80  degrees, — and  the  height  of  the  summits 
above  the  river  is  1,500  to  2,000  feet.  In  this 
canon  is  found  a  thick  bed  of  hard,  red. 
sandstone,  of  great  value  for  building  stone, — 
which  can  be  wrought  into  fine  forms  for  culverts, 
fronts  of  buildings,  caps,  sills,  etc.  Emerging 
from  the  mouth  of  Weber  Canon — and  turning 
to  the  right,  every  vestige  of  rugged  canon 
scenery  vanishes,  and  the  scene  is  changed 
into  one  of  peace  and  quietness  of  valley  life. 
Here  the  Weber  River  has  a  strong,  powerful 
current — with  heavy  and  constant  fall  over  beds 
of  water-worn  stones,  and  fallen  rocks  of  im- 
mense size.  In  the  spring  and  summer  months, 
it  is  swollen  by  the  melting  of  snow  from  the 
mountains,  and  is  of  great  depth, — though  usually 
it  averages  but  four  to  six  feet  in  depth  and  its 
width,  at  the  mouth  of  the  canon,  is  usually 
120  feet. 

The  remainder  of  its  course  to  the  Great  Salt 
Lake,  is  through  a  large  open  bottom  of  increas- 
ing breadth,  along  which  gather  little  villages, 
grain  fields,  meadows,  brilliant  with  flowers  of 
which  the  Indian  Pink,  with  its  deep  scarlet 
clusters,  is  most  luxuriant.  The  hills  are  smooth 
in  outline,  and  as  we  approach  Ogden,  the  grand 
summit  of  the  Wahsatch  Mountains,  with  snowy 
peaks,  arise  behind,  in  front,  and  northward, 
around  us  bold  and  impressive.  This  is  the  range 
of  mountains  which  border  the  east  side  of  the 
Salt  Lake  Valley,  and  will  accompany  us,  as  we 
go  southward  to  Salt  Lake  City. 

Kocktt  of  Weber  Canon. — Returning  to 
the  road ;  after  leaving  Echo  you  will  soon 
notice,  on  the  north  side  of  the  track,  two 
curious  formations.  The  first  is  a  group  of 
reddish-colored  cones  of  different  sizes  and 
varying  some,  in  shape,  but  on  the  whole 
remarkably  uniform  in  their  appearance. 
These  are  known  as  Battlement  Rocks.  They 
are  about  one  mile,  perhaps  not  that,  be- 
low Echo.  Xext  come  the  wierd  forms  of  "  The 
Witches  " — looking  as  though  they  were  talking 
with  each  other.  These  are  gray,  and  about 
this  place  it  seems  that  the  formation  changes — 


the  red-colored  rocks  disappearing — dark  gray 
taking  their  place.  How  these  columns  were 
formed  will  ever  be  a  question  of  interest  to 
those  who  are  permitted  to  see  them.  One  of 
the  Witches  especially  looks  as  though  she  was 
afflicted  with  the  "  Grecian  bend  '  of  modern 
fashion,  a  fact  which  does  not  at  all  comport 
with  the  dignity  or  character  of  a  witch.  Worn 
in  fantastic  shapes  by  the  storms  of  ages,  and 
capped  with  gray,  they  stand  as  if  "  mocking  the 
changes  and  the  chance  of  time."  Four 
miles  below  Ecbo,  we  lound  a  rocky  point, 
nearly  opposite  to  which  lies  the  little  Mormon 
Village  of  Henniferville,  on  the  left  side  of 
Weber  River,  with  its  bishop's  palace — the  largest 
brick  building  in  sight — and  school-house,  also  of 
brick,  nestled  under  the  mountains  which  lift 
up  rugged  peaks  in  the  background.  The  valley 
now  narrows  to  a  gorge,  and  we  approach  AVeber 
Canon  proper.  It  has  high  bluffs  on  the  left, 
with  a  rocky  castle  towering  up  on  the  right.  If 
Echo  Canon  was  a  wonderful  place  in  the  mind 
of  the  traveler,  wonders,  if  possible  more  rugged 
and  grand,  will  be  revealed  to  his  gaze  here. 
High  up  on  the  face  of  a  bluff  to  the  left,  as  you 
pass  through  the  gorge,  see  the  little  holes  or 
caves  worn  by  the  winds,  in  which  the  eagles  build 
their  nests.  This  bluff  is  called  "Eagle  nest 
Rock."  Every  year  the  proud  monarch  of  the 
air  finds  here  a  safe  habitation  in  which  to  raise 
his  young.  It  is  beyond  the  reach  of  men,  and 
accessible  only  to  the  birds  which  fly  in  the  air. 
Passing  this  home  of  '•  Freedom's  Bird,"  before 
we  have  time  to  read  these  lines  hardly,  we  are 
at  the 

Thousand  Mile  Tree,  Devil's  Slide,  <f  c., 
— on  the  left  side  of  the  track.  There  it  stands, 
spreading  its  arms  of  green,  from  one  of  which 
|  hangs  the  sign  which  marks  the  distance  traveled 
since  leaving  Omaha.  It  is  passed  in  a  moment, 
and  other  objects  of  interest  claim  your  attention. 
High  upon  rocks  to  the  right,  as  you  peer  ahead, 
see  how  the  winds  have  made  holes  in  project- 
ing points  through  which  the  light  and  sky  be- 
yond can  be  observed ;  now  looking  back  see 
another  similar  formation  on  the  opposite  side — 
one  to  be  seen  looking  ahead,  the  other  looking 
back.  Now  we  come  to  Slate  Cut — where  photo- 
graph rocks  without  number  are  found.  The 
rocks  are  so  called  from  the  pictures  of  ferns, 
branches  of  trees,  shrubs,  etc.,  which  are  seen 
traced  in  them.  They  remind  one  of  moss- 
agates,  only  they  are  a  great  deal  larger — mag- 
nified a  thousand  times,  and  are  not  in  clear 
groundwork  like  the  agates.  Lost  Creek  Canon 
now  puts  in  from  the  right,  and  around  the 
curve  yon  can  see  the  houses  of  the  little  Mormon 
Town,  Croyden.  It  is  only  seven  miles  from 
Echo.  This  canon  runs  parallel  with  Echo 
Canon  for  quite  a  distance,  and  is  said  to  be 
rich  in  the  scenery  characteristic  of  this  region, 
with  a  narrow  valley  of  great  fertility  when  cul- 


125 


tivated.  But  right  here  on  the  left  side  of  the 
road,  pushing  out  from  the  side  of  the 
mountain,  is  the  "  Devil's  Slide " — one  of  the 
most  singular  formations  to  be  seen  on  the  en- 
tire route  from  ocean  to  ocean.  It  is  composed 
of  two  parallel  ledges  of  granite,  turned  upon 
their,  edges,  serrated  and  jutting  out  in  places 
fifty  feet  from  the  mountain  side,  and  about  14 
feet  apart.  It  is  a  rough  place  for  any  one; 
height  about  800  feet. 

Weber  Quarry, — 1,001.5  miles  from  Omaha, 
and  5,250  feet  above  the  sea.  It  is  a  side  track 
where  fine  reddish  sandstone  is  obtained  for 
building  purposes,  and  for  the  use  of  the  road. 
The  sandstone  is  variegated,  and  is  both  beauti- 
ful and  durable  when  cut,  or  polished.  The 
gorge  still  continues,  and  devils'  slides  on  a 
smaller  scale 
than  the  one 
noticed,  are 
visible  on 
both  sides  of 
the  road.  A 
little  below 
this  station, 
Dry  Creek 
Canon  comes 
in  on  the 
right.  The 
road  now 
passes  round 
short  curves 
amidst  the 
wildest  scen- 
ery, when  it  is 
suddenly 
blocked  to  ail 
human  ap- 
pearance; yet 
tunnel  No.  3 
gives  us  liber- 
ty. Crossing 
a  bridge  ob- 
serve the  ter- 
raced mountain  on  the  right,  and  by  the  time 
it  is  well  in  view,  we  enter  and  pass  through 
tunnel  No.  4,  after  which  comes  Round  Valln/, 
where  a  huge  basin  in  the  mountains  is  formed, 
and  where  man  again  obtains  a  foothold.  On 
the  right  of  the  mountain,  as  you  enter  this  val- 
ley, there  is  a  group  of  balanced  rocks,  that  seem 
ready  to  topple  over  into  the  valley  below.  Still 
rounding  another  point  farther  down,  and  we 
arrive  at 

Weber, — 1,008.5  miles  from  Omaha,  an  ele- 
vation of  5,130  feet.  It  is  a  telegraph  station  in 
a  thrifty  looking  Mormon  village.  The  valley 
here  widens  out — the  narrows  are  passed — and 
scenes  of  surpassing  beauty,  especially  in  the 
summer,  enchant  the  eye.  To  the  "left  the 
mountains  gradually  recede,  and  East  Canon 
Creek,  which  takes  its  rise  in  Parley's  Park,  be- 


THOUSAND  MILE  TREE.— WEBER  CANON. 


fore  mentioned,  cutting  its  way  through  the 
rocky  hills,  comes  into  the  valley  of  the  Weber. 
This  station  is  the  nearest  point  on  the  Union 
Pacific  Road  to  Salt  Lake  City.  The  town  and 
cultivated  farms  in  the  valley  seem  like  an  oasis 
in  the  midst  of  a  desert.  Here,  for  the  first  time 
on  the  road,  the  traveler  will  see  the  magic  sign, 
"  Z.  C.  M.  I.,"  which,  literally  translated,  means 
"  Zion's  Co-operative  Mercantile  Institution," 
where  all  the  faithful  are  expected  to  purchase 
their  dry  goods,  groceries,  notions,  etc.  The 
Mormon  name  for  this  station  is  Morgan  City. 
As  you  leave  this  station,  the  same  query 
broached  before,  rises  in  the  mind  of  the  trav- 
eler— how  are  we  to  get  out  ?  We  seem  entirely 
surrounded  by  hills  and  mountains,  and,  while 
there  is  a  depression  visible  off  to  the  right,  it 

does  not  seem 
1  o  w  enough 
for  a  railroad 
to  pass  over. 
But  we  follow 
the  river 
<1  own,  and 
notice  the  re- 
sult. Bend- 
ing first  to 
the  right,  then 
to  the  left, 
and  again  to 
the  right 
round  a  curve 
like  an  el- 
bow, and  near- 
ly as  short, 
we  reach 

Peterson, 
-1,016.4  miles 
from  Omaha; 
elevation, 
4,963  feet  — 
another  tele- 
graph station, 
near  which 
a  wagon  bridge  crosses  the  river  on  the  left. 
It  is  convenient  to  a  Mormon  village  called 
Enterprise,  near  by,  and  within  a  few  miles 
of  another,  called  Mountain  Green.  Just  be- 
low Peterson,  Cottonwood  Creek  puts  in  from 
the  right,  while  immediately  in  front.  Devil's 
Gate  Mountain  rears  its  snowy  crest.  You  now 
begin  to  see  where  we  are  to  get  out  of  the 
basin.  A  huge  gap  in  the  mountains  opens  be- 
fore you.  It  is  the  Devil's  Gap  with  the  Devil's 
Gate  and  several  other  odd  characteristics  about 
it.  It  is/  one  of  the  most  remarkable  places  on 
the  line  of  the  road.  The  waters  of  Weber 
River,  as  if  enraged  at  their  attempted  restraint, 
rush  wildly  along,  now  on  one  side  of  the  road, 
and  now  on  the  other,  and  now  headed  off  com- 
pletely by  a  projecting  ledge  before  them,  turn 
madly  to  the  right,  determined  with  irresistible 


126 


strength  to  force  their  way  through  the  mount- 
ain ;  foiled  in  this,  they  turn  abruptly  to  the 
left,  still  rushing  madly  on,  and  at  last  find 
their  way  out  to  the  plain  beyond.  If  Echo 
was  grand,  and  the  narrows  grander — this  Dev- 
il's Gate  pass  is  surely  grandest  of  all.  Just 
before  you  enter  the  deep  cut,  you  will  notice 
the  old  wagon  road  winding  along  the  bed  of 
the  stream,  cut  out  of  the  mountain's  side 
in  some  places,  and,  in  others,  walled  up 
from  the  river.  In  the  midst  of  all  this  majes- 
tic grandeur,  the  train  passes,  but  seldom  stops 
at  a  station  appropriately  named 
Devil's  Gate, 
—1,020.4  miles 
from  Omaha, 
and  4,870  feet 
above  the  sea, 
—  and  so  we 
pass  rapidly  on. 
The  gap  begins 
to  open  in  the 
west,  and  we 
soon  emerge 
from  one  of  the 
grandest  scenes 
in  nature,  into 
the  lovely  val- 
ley below,  re- 
claini3d  by  the 
hands  of  men 
from  the  barren 
waste  of  a  des- 
ert, and  made 
to  bud  and 
blossom  as  the 
rose.  We  have 
now  passed  the 
Wa  hs  atch 
Range  of  mount- 
ains, though 
their  toweri  ng 
peaks  are  on  th/j, 
right,  and  re- 
cede from  view 
on  the  left,  as 
we  leave  their 
base,  and  get  DEVIL'S  SLIDE. 

out  into  the  plain.  We  are  now  in  the  Great  Salt 
Lake  Basin,  or  Valley ;  and,  though  the  lake  itself 
is  not  in  sight,  the  mountains  on  its  islands  are. 
These  mountains,  back  of  Ogden,  are  almost 
always  crowned  with  snow,  and  frequently  have 
their  summits  enveloped  in  clouds.  They  are 
storm-breeders — every  one,  and  the  old  Storm 
King  sometimes  holds  high  carnival  among  them, 
when 

"  From  peak  to  peak,  the  rattling  crags  among, 
Leaps  the  live  thunder." 

The  winds  and  storms  of  winter  occasionally 
fill  the  craggy  gap  through  which  we  have  passed 
with  snow,  to  such  an  extent  that  it  slides  like 


an  avalanche  down  over  the  track,  and  in  the 
river  below,  where  the  rushing  waters  give  it  a 
cordial  greeting,  and  where  it  soon  melts  in  their 
embrace. 

Uintah, — 1,025.3  miles  from  Omaha  ;  eleva- 
tion, 4,560  feet.  This  was  formerly  the  stage 
station  for  Salt  Lake  City,  but  the  completion  of 
the  Utah  Central  Railroad  from  Ogden,  took 
away  its  glory.  While  it  was  the  stage  terminus 
it  was  a  lively  place,  though  it  never  possessed 
indications  of  being  a  town  of  any  great  size. 
Approaching  the  town,  the  valley  opens  out  like 
a  panorama,  and  neat  little  houses  with  farms 

and  gardens  at- 
j^^\A  tached,  greet  the 
=gA  eyes  of  the  trav- 
=\  eler  in  a  won- 
derful change 
from  the  scenes 
through  which 
he  has  just 
passed.  Look- 
ing off  to  the 
left  you  will  no- 
tice the  first 
bench  of  land 
across  the  river, 
with  a  higher 
bench  or  terrace 
in  the  rear. 
Upon  this  first 
bench,  the  Mor- 
risite  massacre 
took  place  in 
1862,  an  account 
of  which  we 
shall  give  in  an- 
other place. 
Leaving  Uintah, 
the  road  pursues 
its  way  in  a 
general  norther- 
1  y  direction 
along  the  base  of 
the  mountains, 
till  it  arrives  at 
Off  (I  en, — the 
western  termi- 
nus of  the  Union  Pacific  Railroad,  1,033.8  miles 
from  Omaha,  and  4,340  feet  above  the  level  of 
the  sea.  By  agreement  between  the  two  roads, 
it  is  also  the  eastern  terminus  of  the  Central 
Pacific  Railroad.  The  place  is  one  of  con- 
siderable importance,  being  the  second  city  in 
size  and  population  in  the  Territory  of  Utah. 
It  is  regularly  laid  out,  is  the  county-seat  of 
Weber  County,  has  a  court-house  of  brick, 
which,  with  grounds,  cost  about  $20,000,  two 
or  three  churches  and  a  Mormon  tabernacle. 
The  town  may  properly  be  divided  into  two 
parts  —  upper  and  lower  Ogden.  The  upper- 
part  is  pleasantly  situated  on  an  elevated 


—WEBER  CANON. 


SCENES  IN  WEBEK  CANON. 

1.— Ogden,  Utah.    Wahsntch  Mountains  in  the  distance.    2.— Devil's  Gate  and  High  Peaks  of  Wahsatch  Mountains. 
3.— Heights  of  Weber  Canon.    4.— Tunnel  No.  3,  Weber  Canon. 


128 


bench  adjoining  the  mountains.  This  bench 
breaks  rather  abruptly,  and  almost  forms  a  bluff, 
and  then  begins  lower  Ogden.  The  upper  part 
is  mostly  occupied  for  residences,  and  has  some 
beautiful  yards  with  trees  now  well  grown.  The 
lower  portion — that  which  is  principally  seen 
from  the  railroad,  is  mostly  occupied  by  business 
houses.  One  peculiarity  of  the  towns  in  these 
western  or  central  Territories,  is  the  running 
streams  of  water  on  each  side  of  nearly  every 
street,  which  are  fed  by  some  mountain  stream, 
and  from  which  water  is  taken  to  irrigate  the 
yards,  gardens  and  orchards  adjoining  the  dwell- 
ings. Ogden  now  has  fully  6,000  people,  and  has 
a  bright  future  before  it.  It  is  not  only  the  ter- 
minus of  the  two  great  trans-continental  lines 
before  mentioned,  but  is  also  the  starting-point 
of  the  Utah  Central  and  Utah  Northern  Rail- 
roads. These  four  companies  have  united  in  the 
purchase  of  grounds,  on  which  a  large  Union  de- 
pot will  soon  be  built,  nearly  east  of  the  present 
building,  and  nearer  the  business  portion  of  the 
city.  It  is  the  regular  supper  and  breakfast  sta- 
tion of  the  Union  Pacific  and  Central  Pacific 
Railroads — passengers  having  one  hour  in  which 
to  take  their  meals  and  transfer  their  baggage. 
The  Central  Pacific  Road  has  numerous  machine 
and  repair  shops  here  which  are  wooden  build- 
ings of  a  temporary  character,  and  which  will 
soon  be  replaced  by  more  permanent  structures. 
In  addition  to  their  freight  depots  the  Union 
Pacific  has  only  a  roundhouse  for  the  shelter  of 
engines — their  buildings  for  the  sub-division  of 
the  road  being  located  at  Evanston. 

Ogden  is  the  last  town  on  the  Weber  River 
before  it  empties  into  the  Great  Salt  Lake.  This 
river  takes  its  name  from  an  old  mountaineer 
and  trapper,  who  was  well  known  in  these  parts 
during  the  early  days  of  the  Mormon  settlement. 
The  town  is  named  for  Mr.  Ogden,  another  old 
mountaineer  who  lived  and  died  near  or  in  the  city. 
Ogden  is  destined  to  become  a  manufacturing 
town  of  no  small  importance.  Vast  quantities 
of  iron  ore  can  be  obtained  within  five  miles  of 
the  city,  and  iron  works  on  a  large  scale  have 
bean  commenced,  but  owing  to  want  of  proper 
foresight,  the  company  ran  short  of  means  before 
their  works  were  completed.  An  effort  is  now 
beiug  made  to  resuscitate  them,  and  with  addi- 
tional capital  carry  them  on  to  completion.  The 
freight  on  all  iron  brought  into  the  Territory  is 
so  large  in  amount,  that  an  iron  manufactory 
here,  with  coal  and  iron  ore  bearing  60  per  cent, 
of  pure  iron  of  an  excellent  quality,  near  by,  will 
prove  a  paying  investment  and  materially  facil- 
itate the  development  of  the  Territory.  Discov- 
eries of  silver  have  also  been  made  on  the  mount- 
ains back  of  the  city,  but  the  mines  have  not, 
as  yet,  been  developed.  These  discoveries  have 
been  made  up  in  Ogden  Canon,  about  five  miles 
from  the  city. 

On  the  mountain  directly  east  of  the  town,  ex- 


cellent slate  quarries  have  been  discovered  and 
worked  to  some  extent.  It  is  said  to  be  equal  to 
the  best  found  in  the  Eastern  States. 

Ogden  River  rises  in  the  Wahsatch  Range 
of  Mountains,  some  40  miles  east  of  the  city.  It 
has  three  forks— north,  middle  and  south — all  of 
which  unite  just  above  the  canon  and  fairly  cut 
their  way  through  one  of  the  wildest  and  most 
romantic  gorges  on  the  Continent. 

Ogden  Canon. — This  lovely  little  canon  con- 
tains views  quite  as  pretty  as  either  Weber  or 
Echo  Canons.  Visitors  should  stay  over  at  Og- 
den and  spend  a  day  in  a  drive  hither. 

A  fine  creek,  about  30  feet  wide,  and  three  to 
five  feet  deep,  has  cut  through  the  mountain  and 
its  ridges.  As  it  comes  out  of  the  mountain  on 
the  west  side,  it  opens  into  a  broad,  grassy  valley, 
thickly  settled  with  farmers,  and  joins  the 
Weber  River  about  five  miles  distant.  The 
scenes,  as  the  traveler  passes  through  the  narrows 
of  the  canon,  are  wild  in  the  extreme.  The  rocks 
rise  from  500  to  2,000  feet  almost  perpendicularly, 
and  the  width  averages  less  than  100  feet  for  a 
long  distance.  In  this  canon,  geologists  have 
found  evidence  sufficiently  satisfactory  to  indi- 
cate that  the  entire  Salt  Lake  Valley  was  once 
a  huge  fresh  water  lake,  whose  surface  rose  high 
up  on  the  sides  of  the  mountains,  even  covering 
the  highest  terrace. 

Five  miles  up  the  canon,  which  runs  eastward, 
there  is  a  beautiful  little  valley,  with  table-like 
terraces,  30  to  50  feet  above  the  bed  of  the  creek, 
wherein  a  little  Mormon  village  is  located.  The 
situation  is  a  lovely  one — the  sides  of  the  hills 
which  enclose  the  valley,  are  800  to  1,000  feet 
high,  smoothly  rounded  and  sloping,  covered 
with  coarse  bunch  grass  and  small  bushes. 

In  addition  to  the  railroad  hotel  before  spoken 
of — which,  by  the  way,  is  a  first-class  house  and 
popular  with  the  traveling  public — Ogden  has 
several  hotels,  prominent  among  which  are  the 
Utah  Hotel,  an  up-town  establishment,  conven- 
ient for  commercial  men,  and  the  Beardsley 
House  which  caters  for  railroad  travel.  It  is 
also  supplied  with  two  newspapers,  the  Daily 
Junction,  a  small  seven  by  nine  sheet — the  organ 
of  the  church,  and  published  by  one  of  the 
bishops,  a  Mormon  poet,  etc.  The  other  is  a 
weekly,  styled  the  Oyden  Fret-man,  the  organ  of 
the  opposition.  The  city  water-works  are  sup- 
plied with  water  taken  from  Ogden  River,  at  the 
mouth  of  Ogden  Canon.  The  road  through  the 
canon  is  a  dugway  along  the  stream,  and  some- 
times built  up  from  it,  while  the  wall  rocks  on 
either  side  tower  up  thousands  of  feet.  The 
water  in  the  river  goes  rushing  madly  on  over 
huge  rocks  and  boulders  lying  in  the  bed  of  the 
stream,  as  though  it  would  push  them  out  of  the 
way.  In  some  places  the  rocks  almost  hang  over 
the  road,  and  as  you  round  some  point  they  seem 
as  though  they  would  push  you  into  the  stream. 
In  some  places  the  formation  and  dip  of  the  rocks 


129 


is  very  peculiar.  They  seem  to  be  set  up  on  end, 
in  thin  layers,  and  with  a  slight  dip,  while  the 
wash  of  ages  has  worn  out  a  channel  for  the 
river.  About  two  miles  up  the  canon,  Warm 
Spring  Canon  comes  in  on  the  right.  It  is  not 
much  of  a  canon,  but  high  up  on  the  mountain 
side,  near  its  source,  are  warm  springs  from 
which  it  takes  its  name.  About  half  a  mile  far- 
ther are  some  hot  sulphur  springs,  on  the  left 
side  of  the  river,  in  the  midst  of  a  little  grove  of 
trees.  This  is  a 
charming  resort 
for  the  tourist, 
and  he  will  never 
cease  admiring  the 
wild  and  rugged  in 
nature,as  exhibited 
in  this  canon.  The 
canon  is  about  six 
miles  long,  and 
the  stream  which 
runs  through  it  is 
filled  with  "  the 
speckled  beau- 
ties "  which  are  so 
tempting  to  the 
fisherman  and  so 
satisfactory  to  the 
epicure.  As  you 
look  to  the  top  ol 
the  mountain  you 
will  see  pine  trees 
that  appear  like 
little  shrubs . 
These  trees  are 
from  50  to  80  feet 
in  height,  and  are 
cut  and  brought 
down  to  the  val- 
leys for  their 
timber.  Accommo- 
dations for  pleas- 
ure parties  for 
visiting  this  won- 
derful canon,  and 
for  fishing  and 
hunting,  can  be 
obtained  in  Ogden, 
and  no  excursion 
party  from  ocean 
to  ocean  should 
fail  to  visit  it. 
Beyond  the  mountains,  before  the  river  gorges 
through,  there  is  a  fertile  valley  pretty  well 
settled,  and  the  road  through  the  canon  gives 
the  people  living  there  an  outlet  to  the  town. 
This  road  was  built  several  years  ago,  and  re- 
quired a  great  deal  of  time  and  labor,  and  fitly 
illustrates  the  persevering  industry  of  the  Mor- 
mon people. 

Fruit-growing  is  very  common  in   the  vicin- 
ity of    Ogden,   and   a    large    quantity  of    the 


NARROWS  OF  OGDEN  CANON. 


best  varieties  grown  in  the  Territory  are  pro- 
duced in  this  region  of  country.  Utah  apples, 
peaches  and  pears  are  finer  in  size,  color  and 
flavor  than  any  grown  in  the  Eastern  or  Middle 
States. 

Hot  Springs.  —  Northward  from  Ogden, 
about  a  day's  ride,  is  a  very  interesting  lo- 
cality, known  as  the  Hot  Springs.  Here  is 
a  group  of  warm  springs,  forming,  in  the 
aggregate,  a  stream  three  feet  wide,  and  six 

to  twelve  inches 
deep;  the  sur- 
face, for  a  space 
of  300  to  400  yards 
in  extent,  is  cov- 
ered with  a  de- 
posit of  oxide  of 
iron,  so  that  it 
resembles  a  t  a  n  - 
yard  in  color. 
The  temperature  is 
136P.  They  flow 
from  beneath  a 
mountain  called 
Hot  Spring  Mount- 
ain, which  is  about 
five  miles  long  and 
three  wide.  The 
elevation  of  the 
lake  is  4,191  feet. 
The  water  of  the 
spring  is  clear  as 
crystal,  containing 
great  quantities  of 
iron,  and  the  sup- 
ply is  abundant. 
As  there  are  plenty 
of  cold  springs 
in  the  vicinity, 
there  is  nothing 
to  prevent  this 
from  being  a  noted 
place  of  resort 
for  invalids.  The 
medicinal  qual- 
ities of  this  water 
are  excellent  for 
rheumatism,  skin 
diseases,  dys- 
pepsia, and  the 
climate  is  unsur- 
passed. 

The  Territory  of  Utah. 

When  the  Mormons  first  located  in  Utah,  in 

1847,  it  was  territory  belonging  to  Mexico,  but 
by  the  treaty  of  Guadaloupe  Hidalgo,  in  March, 

1848,  it  was  passed  over  to  the  United  States 
with  New  Mexico  and  the  whole  of  upper  Cali- 
fornia.    The  government  of  the  United  States 
was  not  very  prompt  in  extending  its  jurisdic- 
tion over  the  newly-acquired  Territory,  and  in 


130 


131 


the  absence  of  any  other  government  the  Mor- 
mons set  up  one  for  themselves,  which  was  called 
the  State  of  Deseret.  This  was  done  in  the 
spring  of  1849.  On  the  9th  of  September,  1850, 
Congress  passed  a  bill  which  ignored  the  State 
government  of  the  Mormons,  and  organized  the 
Territory  of  Utah,  and  on  the  28th  of  that  same 
month,  Millard  Fillmore,  President,  appointed 
Brigham  Young,Governor  of  the  Territory  with  a 
full  complement  of  executive  and  judicial  officers. 
Since  that  time  the  area  of  the  Territory  has  been 
diminished,  but  it  is  still  large  enough  for  all 
practical  purposes.  It  now  extends  from  the 
37th  to  the  42d  parallels  of  north  latitude,  and 
from  the  109th  to  the  114th  degree  of  longitude, 
embracing  over  84,000  square  miles  or  over 
54,000,000  of  acres.  The  national  census  of 
1870  showed  a  population  of  about  90,000,  and 
a  fair  estimate  would  give  the  Territory  about 
125,000  people  at  the  present  time.  The  climate, 
as  a  general  thing,  is  salubrious  and  healthy,  and 
violent  extremes  of  either  heat  or  cold  are  seldom 
experienced.  The  area  of  land  susceptible  of 
cultivation  is  small  as  compared  to  that  included 
in  the  whole  Territory,  and  a  large  quantity  of 
even  desert  land  is  now  unproductive  because  of 
the  presence  of  alkali  and  mineral  substances. 
While  all  kinds  of  grain  can  be  grown  with  more 
or  less  success — depending  upon  local  causes — 
wheat  is  the  great  staple,  and  in  favorable  sea- 
sons and  localities  monstrous  crops  of  the  great 
cereal  have  been  produced. 

It  may  astonish  eastern  readers,  but  it  is  nev- 
ertheless a  fact,  that  whole  fields,  producing 
from  fifty  to  sixty  bushels  per  acre  of  as  fine 
wheat  as  was  ever  grown,  are  no  uncommon 
thing  in  Utah.  The  land,  of  course,  is  irrigated, 
and  there  is  no  great  danger  of  loss  by  rains  dur- 
ing the  harvest  season.  The  average  yield,  it  is 
true,  is  a  great  deal  less  than  this,  amounting  to 
about  twenty-five  bushels  per  acre.  On  account 
of  the  high  altitude  and  cool  nights,  corn  will 
not  do  as  well,  though  fair  crops  are  raised. 
Vegetables  of  all  kinds  grow  to  an  astonishing 
size,  and  are  superior  in  quality.  Corn  will,  as  a 
general  thing,  do  better  in  the  valleys  in  the 
southern  part  of  the  Territory,  where  cotton  is 
also  grown  to  a  limited  extent,  and  some  kinds 
of  tropical  fruits.  The  climate  and  soil  are 
especially  adapted  to  the  production  of  apples, 
pears,  peaches,  plums,  currants,  strawberries, 
raspberries,  blackberries,  etc.  It  must  constantly 
be  borne  in  mind,  that  successful  agricultural 
pursuits  can  only  be  carried  on  here  with  irriga- 
tion, and  that,  as  a  general  thing,  it  costs  no 
more  to  irrigate  land  here,  nor  as  much,  as  it 
costs  to  drain  and  clear  it  in  many  of  the  Eastern 
States.  The  market  for  most  of  the  products 
raised  in  this  Territory,  is  at  the  mining  camps 
and  settlements,  and  in  Nevada,  Idaho  and  Mon- 
tana. The  explorations  in  the  southern  half  of 
the.  Territory,  have  resulted  in  the  discovery  of 


vast  deposits  of  iron,  coal,  copper,  silver,  gold 
and  lead.  In  the  Strawberry  Valley,  coal  veins 
over  twenty  feet  thick,  of  excellent  quality,  have 
been  discovered.  In  San  Pete  Valley,  other 
magnificent  coal  deposits  have  been  found,  from 
which  coke  for  smelting  purposes  has  been  made. 
East  of  the  Wahsatch  Range,  in  San  Pete 
County,  are  the  remains  of  the  Moquis  Village, 
of  which  much  has  been  written.  Iron  County, 
still  south,  is  so  named  from  the  vast  deposits  of 
this  material  found  within  its  limits ;  and,  in 
the  spring  of  1876,  the  most  wonderful  discov- 
eries of  silver  were  made  near  St.  George,  in 
what  has  been  called  the  Bonanza  District. 
There  is  horn  silver  around  a  piece  of  petrified 
wood  in  a  sandstone  formation.  A  part  of  this 
petrifaction  was  coal.  The  discovery  of  silver 
in  such  a  formation,  has  upset  many  of  the  geo- 
logical theories  heretofore  prevalent  in  the 
country.  Ore  from  surface  mines  to  the  value 
of  over  fifty  thousand  dollars,  has  already  been 
taken  out.  This  discovery  is  one  of  the  won- 
ders of  the  country.  A  correspondent  of  the 
Salt  Lake  Tribune,  recently  spoke  of  these  mines 
as  follows :  "  The  mines  are  in  the  rear  of  Bo- 
nanza City,  and  are  certainly  a  new  thing  in  the 
theory  of  geology  and  the  mining  world.  Those 
in  Silver  Flat  are  found  under  and  in  sandstone, 
lying  flat  and  about  six  to  eight  inches  in  width, 
showing  rich  chlorides,  horn  silver  and  sulphur- 
ets,  carrying  some  mica.  The  manner  of  work- 
ing the  same  has  the  appearance  of  quarrying 
rock."  Judge  Barbee,  the  discoverer  of  these 
mines,  found  several  pieces  of  petrified  wood 
ore,  containing  chlorides  and  horn  silver.  The 
specimen  that  we  saw,  said  to  have  been  brought 
from  these  mines,  was  carbonized  to  a  cer- 
tain extent — one  side  distinctly  showing  a  thin 
vein  of  coal.  There  are  two  main  ranges  of 
mountains  in  Utah,  running  nearly  parallel  to 
each  other.  The  easternmost  range  is  the  Wah- 
satch, and  that  farther  west,  the  Oquirrh.  Still 
farther  to  the  west  are  broken  ranges,  parallel 
with  those  above  named.  Nearly  all  of  these,  so 
far  as  they  have  been  prospected,  are  mineral 
bearing ;  and,  in  our  judgment,  the  time  is  not 
far  distant,  when  mines  greater  even  than  the 
Comstock,  will  be  developed  in  Utah.  They 
only  await  capital  and  the  extension  of  railroads 
for  their  development.  The  Emma  mine,  which 
has  filled  the  public  prints,  is  thought  to  be  one 
of  the  richest  mines  on  the  Continent,  to-day,  by 
the  leading  business  men  of  Utah,  who  are  fa- 
miliar with  the  characteristics  of  the  district  in 
which  it  is  located.  In  fact,  Utah  alone,  has  all 
the  resources  of  an  empire ;  and  if  it  were  only 
under  a  safe,  stable  and  peaceful  political  local 
government,  she  would  become  the  richest  and 
brightest  star  in  the  coronet  of  the  nation.  It 
were  well  if  certain  pages  in  her  eventful  history 
could  be  forever  obliterated. 

Utah  Central  Railroad. — Ogden  is  the 


132 


northern  terminus  of  this  road.  It  is  the  pioneer 
line  of  Utah  proper,  though  the  Union  Pacific 
and  Central  Pacific  Roads  were  completed  first 
through  the  magnificent  generosity  of  the  people 
of  the  United  States.  Early  in  May,  1869,  the 
iron  rails  which  bound  the  Continent  together 
were  joined  near  Promontory,  some  50  miles 
west  of  Ogden.  One  week  after  this  was  done, 
work  on  the  Utah  Central  began.  The  company 
was  organized  on  the  8th  of  March  previous, 
Brigham  Young  being  president.  A  large 
quantity  of  material  for  building  railroads  was 
left  on  hand,  when  the  Union  Pacific  was 
finished  to  Promontory,  and  this  was  purchased 
by  the  Utah  Central  Company.  Brigham 
Young  had  entered  into  a  contract  for  grading 
the  former  road,  from  the  head  of  Echo  Canon 
to  Ogden,  and  successfully  accomplished  the 
work.  If  this  had  not  been  done,  that  road 
would  have  failed  in  its  race  across  the  Conti- 
nent, and  the  Central  Pacific  would  have  built 
the  greatest  part  of  the  trans-continental  line. 
His  contract  was  sublet  to  John  Sharp  and 
Joseph  A.  Young,  the  eldest  son  of  the  Mormon 
prophet.  They  crowded  it  with  all  possible 
speed,  and  obtained  that  experience  in  railroad 
building  then,  which  has  been  of  great  advan- 
tage to  the  people  of  Utah  since.  In  less  than 
eight  months  from  the  time  ground  was  broken 
for  this  new  line  of  road,  the  last  rail  was  laid, 
and  on  the  10th  day  of  January,  1870,  the  first 
through  train  from  Ogden,  arrived  in  Salt  Lake 
City.  As  elsewhere  stated,  this  company  is  to 
unite  with  others  in  the  erection  of  a  Union 
depot  at  Ogden,  work  upon  which  will  probably 
begin  the  present  year.  Their  road  now  crosses 
the  Central  Pacific  in  Ogden,  at  nearly  right 
angles,  and  their  depot  and  freight  houses  are 
north  of  the  Pacific  Roads,  Arriving  at  Ogden 
from  the  east,  the  traveler,  looking  ahead  to  the 
right,  will  see  the  engine  and  train  of  cars  ready 
to  take  him  to  the  City  of  the  Saints.  Entering 
elegantly  furnished  cars  at  about  6  o'clock  p.  M., 
and  turning  your  back  upon  Ogden  and  the 
lofty  mountain  peaks  behind  it,  you  will  soon  be 
off.  In  less  than  a  quarter  of  a  mile,  the  road 
passes  over  the  Weber  River  on  a  new  and 
elegant  iron  bridge,  just  put  up  by  the  American 
Bridge  Company  of  Chicago.  It  is  a  suspension 
bridge,  150  feet  span,  each  end  resting  on  a 
solid  abutment  of  masonry.  This  bridge  is  so 
constructed  that  it  will  contract  by  cold  or  ex- 
pand by  heat  as  one  body,  one  end  being  placed 
on  rollers  to  allow  self  adjustment  by  the  action 
of  heat  or  cold.  The  bridge  crossed,  the  road 
passes  through  a  cut,  and  rises  upon  a  bench  or 
terrace  of  land  from  which,  off  to  the  right,  the 
traveler  obtains  the  first  view  of  the  Dead  Sea 
of  America — the  Great  Salt  Lake.  The  general 
direction  of  the  road  is  due  south,  and  you  pur- 
sue your  way  along  the  base  of  the  foot  hills 
and  mountains,  which  form  the  first  line  looking 


east,  of  the  Wahsatch  Range.  As  far  as 
Kaysville,  the  road  passes  over  a  comparatively 
unsettled  country,  though  in  the  dim  distance  on 
the  right,  the  farming  settlements  of  Hooper  may 
be  seen  near  the  mouth  of  Weber  River.  We 
soon  arrive  at 

Kaysville, — 16  miles  from  Ogden.  It  is  a 
telegraph  station  surrounded  by  a  farming  set- 
tlement, with  its  "  co-op  "  store,  blacksmith-shop 
and  the  usual  buildings  of  a  small  country  town. 
In  entering  and  leaving,  the  road  crosses  several 
little  creeks  that  flow  down  from  the  mountains, 
the  waters  of  which  are  nearly  all  drank  up  by 
the  dry  earth  in  the  processes  of  irrigation. 
Passing  on,  the  traveler  will  notice  a  few  houses 
and  settlements,  toward  the  lake  and  mountains, 
sometimes  nearer  the  mountains ;  arriving  at 

Farmington, — the  next  station,  21 1-4  miles 
from  Ogden.  It  is  the  county-seat  of  Davis 
County,  and  has,  besides  a  court-house,  the  usual 
store  and  shops.  This  town  is  also  located  in 
the  midst  of  a  farming  region,  and  nearly  over- 
shadowed by  the  mountains  on  the  east.  Davis 
County  slopes  to  the  west  toward  the  lake,  has  a 
warm  rich  soil,  and  when  irrigated,  produces 
luxuriant  crops  of  vegetables,  melons,  grain,  etc., 
for  the  Salt  Lake  market.  Leaving  this  station 
the  road  draws  near  to  the  side  of  this  great 
inland  sea,  to 

Centerville, — 25  1-2  miles  from  Ogden, — a 
little  farming  town  with  its  store,  etc.  Between 
the  lake  on  one  side  and  the  mountains  on  the 
other,  and  the  thrifty  farms  with  orchards  and 
gardens  now  on  either  side  and  all  around  him, 
the  traveler  will  be  kept  pretty  busy. 

Wood's  Cross — is  the  next  station,  27  34 
miles  from  Ogden.  It  is  about  midway  between 
the  mountains  and  the  lake,  and  is  located  in 
what  is  called  the  best  portion  of  Davis  County. 
It  is  a  telegraph  station  with  usual  side  tracks, 
etc.  The  country  gradually  slopes  into  the 
lake  toward  the  west  with  an  occasional  drift  of 
sand  near  the  shore,  covered  with  the  inevitable 
sage  brush  which  we  have  had  since  leaving  Lara- 
mie  River.  The  cosy  farm  houses  and  the  evi- 
dences of  thrift  everywhere  visible,  the  growing 
crops  and  ripening  fruits,  if  in  the  summer — all 
conspire  to  make  a  pleasant  landscape,  upon  which 
the  traveler  can  feast  his  greedy  gaze,  while  the 
shadow  of  the  mountains  grows  longer,  and  the 
twilight  deepens  into  night  as  we  arrive  at 

Salt  Lake  City, — the  southern  terminus  of 
the  road,  36  1-2  miles  from  Ogden.  But  of  this 
city,  more  in  another  place. 

The  Utah  Central  has  been  a  paying  road 
from  the  start,  and  its  business,  as  the  years  pass 
by,  is  destined  to  make  it  better  still.  We  have 
not  all  the  data  at  hand  to  show  what  it  has  done, 
but  will  give  one  or  two  illustrations.  In  1873, 
its  tonnage  was  as  follows.  Freights  received, 
233,533,450  Ibs.  Freights  shipped,  55,387,754 
Ibs.  In  1874,  there  was  a  slight  falling  off, 


134 


though  it  was  not  as  large  as  expected  from  the 
business  done  in  1873,  because  of  general  depres- 
sion of  the  mining  interest  of  the  Territory.  In 
1875,  its  business  was  as  follows :  Freights  re- 
ceived, 184,158,526  Ibs.  Freights  shipped 
54,189,  929  Ibs.  Its  gross  earnings  for  1875  were 
$407,000.  Its  operating  expenses  were  $162,000. 
This  last  sum  does  not  of  course  include  divi- 
dends on  its  stock  of  $1,500,000,  nor  the  interest 
on  its  bonds  amounting  to  $1,000,000.  The  pas- 
senger fare,  first  class,  from  Ogden  to  Salt  Lake 
is  $2.  The  controlling  interest  in  this  road  is  at 
present  owned  by  stockholders  in  the  Union 
Pacific,  and  it  is  one  of  the  best  paying  roads  in 
the  country.  The  above  figures  prove  it. 

SALT  LAKE  CITY. 

Its  Discovery. — When  Brigham  Young, 
with  his  weary  band  of  pioneers  arrived  here,  in 
1847,  it  was  a  dreary  waste,  nevertheless  a 
beautiful  site  so  far  as  location  is  concerned,  for 
a  city.  It  lies  on  a  bench  or  gradual  slope  from 
the  Wahsatch  Mountains,  which  tower  up  be- 
hind it  on  the  east,  to  the  River  Jordan,  which 
bounds  it  on  the  west.  It  is  recorded  that  when 
the  pioneers  came  within  a  few  days'  march  of 
the  place,  Orson  Pratt  .and  a  few  others  went 
ahead  of  the  party  "  to  spy  out  the  land  "  and 
select  a  place  for  camping,  etc.,  convenient 
to  wood  and  water.  On  the  22d  day  of  July, 
1847,  he  rode  over  this  valley  with  his  compan- 
ions, and  returning  to  the  main  body,  reported 
the  results  of  their  observations.  On  the  morn- 
ing of  July  24,  1847,  this  body  arrived  at  the 
top  of  the  hill,  overlooking  the  site  of  the  city, 
and  the  valley  beyond,  and  were  enchanted  with 
the  scene.  They  gave  vent  to  their  joy  in  ex- 
clamations of  thanksgiving  and  praise  to 
Almighty  God.  firmly  believing  they  had  found 
the  land  of  promise,  though  it  did  not  flow  with 
"  milk  and  honey,"  and  the  "  Zion  of  the  Mount- 
ains "  predicted  by  ancient  prophets.  The  Mor- 
mons are  great  on  literal  interpretation.  Figu- 
rative language  and  expressions  as  viewed  by 
them  are  realities.  The  Bible  means  exactly 
what  it  says  with  them.  They  had  reasons, 
however,  for  being  enchanted.  From  the  canon 
through  which  they  entered  the  valley,  the  view 
is  simply  magnificent.  The  Great  Salt  Lake 
glittered  like  a  sheet  of  silver  in  the  rays  of  the 
morning  sun ;  the  towering  peaks  of  the  mount- 
ain ranges,  crowned  with  clouds  and  snow, 
lifted  themselves  high  up  toward  the  sky,  and 
the  valley,  though  a  desert,  was  to  them  as  lovely 
as  a  June  rose.  The  party  camped  on  a  small 
stream  south-west  of  the  Tabernacle,  and  pro- 
ceeded to  consecrate  the  entire  valley  to  the 
"  Kingdom  of  God."  On  the  28th  of  the  same 
month,  the  ground  for  the  temple  was  selected — 
a  tract  of  40  acres,  and  a  city  two  miles  square 
was  laid  off.  Streets  eight  rods  wide  were 


staked  out,  and  the  blocks  contained  ten  acres 
each.  Orson  Pratt  took  observations,  and  deter- 
mined the  latitude  and  longitude  of  the  city.  A 
large  number  of  this  pioneer  party,  after  planting 
their  crops  returned  for  their  families,  and  the 
last  expedition  for  that  year  arrived  on  the  last 
day  of  October,  when  they  were  received  by  those 
that  remained  with  demonstrations  of  great  joy. 
Brigham  Young  went  back  with  the  returning 
party,  and  did  not  find  his  way  again  to  "  Zion  " 
until  the  next  year.  After  the  city  had  been 
founded,  emigration  from  foreign  countries, 
which  had  been  suspended,  was  re-organized 
and  came  pouring  into  the  Territory  in  masses. 
The  city  grew  and  the  people  spread  out  over 
the  Territory,  settling  every  available  spot  of 
land,  thus  contributing  to  its  prosperity. 

Beauty  of  Position. — The  main  portion  of 
the  city  lies  off  to  the  left,  as  it  is  approached  by 
the  traveler,  and  presents  a  pleasing  appearance. 
Its  streets  are  wide,  with  streams  of  water  cours- 
ing their  way  along  the  sides,  while  rows  of 
beautiful  shade  trees  line  the  walks ;  and  gar- 
dens, and  yards  filled  with  fruit  trees  of  various 
kinds,  everywhere  greet  the  eye.  Visitors 
who  are  interested  in  beautiful  gardens,  will 
find  the  most  interesting  on  Main  Street,  just 
west  of  the  Walker  House,  at  the  residences 
of  the  Walker  Brothers  ;  also  at  Mr.  Jen- 
nings, on  Temple  Street,  near  the  depots. 
The  city  is  now  nearly  thirty  years  old,  and 
in  that  time  the  tourist  can  see  for  him- 
self what  wonderful  changes  have  been 
made.  The  desert  truly  buds  and  blossoms 
as  the  rose.  The  city  is  admirably  located 
for  beauty,  and  at  once  charms  its  visitors. 
The  tourist  should  engage  a  carriage  and  drive 
up  and  down  the  shaded  streets,  and  see  the  wil- 
derness of  fruit  groves  and  gardens.  The  first 
practical  thing,  however,  with  the  traveler  is  to 
select  his  stopping  place,  during  his  visit.  Of 
hotels  there  are  two  first-class  houses  that  are 
popular  resorts  with  the  traveling  public.  The 
Walker  House  is  a  four  story  brick  structure  with 
132  rooms.  It  is  located  on  the  west  side  of 
Main  Street,  has  a  frontage  of  82  feet  and  a 
depth  of  120  feet.  It  has  lately  been  entirely 
renovated  and  handsomely  furnished;  also  has 
had  the  addition  of  a  passenger  elevator.  It  is 
especially  noted  for  its  excellent  table,  which  is 
abundant  in  game,  fruits,  fish,  etc.  The  Town- 
send  House  is  on  the  corner  of  West  Temple 
and  South  Second  streets,  and  has  a  fine  shady 
piazza  along  the  front.  Both  of  these  hotels  face 
eastward,  both  are  lighted  with  gas,  and  both  are 
supplied  with  all  modern  conveniences  and  lux- 
uries. There  are,  also,  other  good  hotels  in  the 
city,  which  are  considered  second-class,  and  are 
largely  patronized. 

Sifflits  for  Tourists. — Having  selected  a 
stopping  place,  the  next  thing  is  a  visit  to  the 
warm  sulphur  springs,  for  a  bath.  The  street 


135 


OFFICES  AND  FAMILY  RESIDENCE  OF  BRIG  HAM   YOUNG. 


cars,  running  by  nearly  all  the  hotels,  will  take 
you  there. 

Warm  Springs. — These  are,  to  invalids, 
the  most  grateful  and  delightful  places  of  resort 
in  the  city.  Exceedingly  valuable  either  for 
rheumatic  or  dyspeptic  complaints,  they  are  ex- 
cellent in  general  invigorating  properties,  and 
specially  efficacious  in  skin  diseases.  They  are 
but  about  one  mile  from  the  hotel,  reached  either 
by  horse-cars  or  carriage.  Even  a  pleasant  walk 
is  preferable.  Best  times  to  enjoy  them  are  early 
in  the  morning  before  breakfast,  or  immediately 
before  dinner.  Should  never  be  taken  within 
three  hours  after  a  meal.  The  springs  issue 
from  the  limestone  rock  near  the  foot  of  the 
mountains,  and  the  curious  character  of  the  rock 
is  seen  in  the  stones  used  for  either  fences  or  the 
foundation  of  the  buildings.  The  following  an- 
alvsis  has  been  made  of  the  water  by  Dr.  Charles 
S."  Jackson  of  Boston,  and  is  generally  posted  on 
the  walls  of  the  bathing-house. 

"Three  fluid  ounces  of  the  water,  on  evapo- 
rating to  entire  dryness  in  a  platine  capsule,  gave 
8.25  grains  of  solid  dry  saline  matter. 

Carbonate  of  lime  and  magnesia,  0.240  1.280 

Peroxide  o£  iron,  0.040  . 0.208 

Lime.  0.545  2.907 

Chlorine,  3.454  18.421 

Soda,  2.87T  15.344 

Magnesia,  0.370  2.073 

Sulphuric  Acid,  0.703  3.748 

8.229    43.981 

It  is  slightly  charged  with  hydro-sulphuric  acid 
gas,  and  with  carbonic  acid  gas,  and  is  a  pleas- 
ant, saline  mineral  water,  having  the  valuable 
properties  belonging  to  a  saline  sulphur  spring. 

The  temperature  is  lukewarm,  and,  being  of 
a  sulphurous  nature,  the  effects  are  very  pene- 
trating ;  at  first  the  sensation  is  delicious,  pro- 
ducing a  delightful  feeling  of  ease  and  re- 


pose ;  but  if  the  bather  remains  long,  over 
fifteen  minutes,  the.re  is  danger  of  weakness  and 
too  great  relaxation.  These  baths  are  now  un- 
der control  of  an  experienced  gentleman,  and 
fitted  up  with  every  modern  convenience.  Here 
are  Turkish  baths,  Hot  Air  baths  and  Russian 
baths,  in  addition  to  the  natural  bath.  The 
warm  sulphur-water  can  be  enjoyed  in  private 


NEW  MORMON  TEMPLE. 


rooms,  or  in  the  large  plunge  or  swimming  bath. 
Separate  rooms  for  ladies  and  gentlemen,  and  a 
smaller  building  near  by  is  fixed  up  for  the  boys, 
where  they  can  frolic  to  their  heart's  content. 
Hot   Springs. — The  tourist  should  take  a 


136 


carriage,  and,  after  visiting  the  Warm  Springs 
and  enjoying  the  bath,  drive  a  mile  farther  north 
to  where  the  mountain  spur  juts  out  to  the  very 
railroad — and,  right  at  its  base  are  situated  the 
"  Hot  Springs."  which  are  the  greatest  natural 
curiosity  of  the  city.  The  water  boils  up,  with 
great  force,  from  a  little  alcove  in  the  limestone 
rocks,  just  even  with  the  surface  of  the  ground. 
If  you  dare  to  thrust  your  hand  in  it,  you  will 
find  it  boiling  hot,  apparently  with  a  temperature 
of  over  200°.  The  finger  can  not  be  retained  in 
the  water  for  the  best  part  of  a  minute  ;  yet  the 
sensation,  as  it  is  withdrawn,  is  so  soft  and  cool- 
ing, you  will  like  to  try  it  again  and  again — and, 
strange  to  say,  rarely  with  any  danger  of  scald- 
ing. If  meat  is  dropped  into  this  boiling  water, 


agriculture  and  vegetation  for  hundreds  of  yards 
within  the  vicinity.  This  lake  is  also  supposed 
to  be  supplied,  to  some  extent,  by  other  hot 
springs  beneath  the  surface.  Strange  as  it  may 
seem,  the  hot  water  does  not  prevent  the  ex- 
istence of  some  kinds  of  excellent  fish,  among 
which  have  been  seen  some  very  fine  large  trout. 
Analysis  of  Hot  Sulphur  Spring : 


Chloride  of  Sodium, 

"   Magnesium, 
"          "    Calcium, 
Sulphate  of  Lime. 
Carbonate  of  Lime, 
Silica, 

1  0602 
Specific  gravity,  1.1454. 

The  Museum — is  located  on  the  south  side 


0.8052 
0.0288 
0.1096 
0.0806 
0.0180 
0.0180 


INTERIOR  OF  OFFICE  OF  BRIGHAM  YODNG. 


it  is  soon  cooked,  (though  we  cannot  guarantee 
a  pleasant  taste)  and  eggs  will  be  boiled,  ready 
for  the  table,  in  three  minutes.  Often  a  dense 
volume  of  steam  rises  from  the  spring,  though 
not  always.  A  very  large  volume  of  water  issues 
forth  from  the  little  hole  in  the  rock — scarcely 
larger  than  the  top  of  a  barrel — about  four  feet 
wide  and  six  to  twenty  inches  deep.  Immedi- 
ately near  the  rock  is  a  little  pool,  in  which  the 
water,  still  hot,  deposits  a  peculiar  greenish  color 
on  the  sides,  and  coats  the  long,  wavy  grass  with 
its  sulphurous  sediment.  Flowing  beneath  the 
railroad  track  and  beyond  in  the  meadows,  it 
forms  a  beautiful  little  lake,  called  Hot  Spring 
Lake,  which,  constantly  filling  up,  is  steadily  in- 
creasing its  area,  and,  practically,  destroying  all 


of  South  Temple  street,  and  directly  opposite 
the  Tabernacle.  Professor  Barfoot  is  in  charge, 
and  he.  will  show  you  specimen  ores  from  the 
mines,  precious  stones  from  the  desert,  pottery- 
ware  and  other  articles  from  the  ruins  of  ancient 
Indian  villages,  the  first  boat  ever  launched  on  the 
Great  Salt  Lake  by  white  men,  home-made 
cloths  and  silks,  the  products  of  the  industry  of 
this  people,  specimen  birds  of  Utah,  a  scalp 
from  the  head  of  a  dead  Indian,  implements  of 
Indian  warfare  and  industry,  such  as  blankets 
white  people  cannot  make,  shells  from  the  ocean, 
and  various  articles  from  the  Sandwich  Islands, 
and  other  things  too  numerous  to  mention. 

Formerly  there  were  quite  a  number  of  living 
wild  animals  kept  here,  but  some  fiend  poisoned 


137 


VIEW  OF  SALT  LAKE  CITY,  LOOKING  WESTWARD  ACROSS  THE  JORDAN  VALLEY. 


the  most  of  them.  There  are  now  living,  how- 
ever, a  large  horned  owl,  a  prairie  dog,  and  the 
owls  that  burrow  with  him,  together  with  the 
rattlesnake ;  also  other  birds  and  reptiles  which 
need  not  be  named.  This  institution  is  the  re- 
sult of  the  individual  enterprise  of  John  W. 


CO-OPERATIVE 

fftU 


SIGN  OF  MORMON  STORES.— SALT  LAKE  CITY. 


Young,  Esq.,  and  for  which  he  is  entitled  to 
great  credit.  A  nominal  sum,  simply,  is  charged 
for  admission,  which  goes  for  the  support  of  Pro- 
fessor Barfoot,  who  has  the  care  and  direction  of 
the  Museum.  Across  the  street,  behind  a  high 
wall,  is  the  Tabernacle,  and  near  by  it,  on  the 
east,  enclosed  within  the  same  high  wall,  are  the 
foundation  walls  of  the  new  Temple.  We  shall 
not  attempt  a  description  of  either,  as  a  personal 
inspection  will  be  far  more  satisfactory  to  the 
visitor.  We  advise  every  tourist  to  get  to  the 
top  of  the  Tabernacle,  if  possible,  and  get  a  view 
of  the  city  from  the  roof.  Within  the  same 
walls  may  be  found  the  Endowment  house,  of 
which  so  much  has  been  written.  In  this  build- 
ing both'  monogamous  and  polygamous  marriages 
take  place,  and  the  quasi-masonic  rites  of  the 
church  are  performed.  On  South  Temple  street, 
east  of  Temple  block,  is  the  private  residence  of 
Brigham  Young,  also  enclosed  in  a  high  wall 
which  shuts  out  the  rude  gaze  of  passers-by,  and 
gently  reminds  the  outsider  that  he  has  no  busi- 
ness to  obtrude  there.  Nearly  opposite  to  this 
residence  is  a  large  and  beautiful  house  which 
is  supposed  to  belong  to  the  Prophet's  favorite 
wife,  Amelia  —  familiarly  called  Amelia  Palace, 
probably  the  finest  residence  for  500  miles  around. 
Returning  to  East  Temple  or  Main  street,  we 
behold  a  large  brick  building  with  iron  and 
glass  front,  three  stories  high,  with  a  skylight  its 


138 


entire  length.  This  is  the  new  "  co-op  "  store, 
40  feet  wide  and  300  feet  long,  with  all  the  mod- 
ern improvements,  steam  elevator,  etc.  Nearly 
opposite  this  store  is  Savage's  picture  gallery, 
whose  photographs  of  scenery  and  views 
along  the  road,  are  the  finest  of  any  ever 
issued  in  the  Great  West.  Continuing  on 
the  same  street  south,  and  the  elegant  build- 
ing of  the  Deseret  National  Bank  greets 
our  gaze,  on  the  north-east  corner  of  East 
Temple  and  First 
South  streets.  Di- 
agonally across  the 
street  from  this  is 
the  emporium  of 
William  Jennings, 
Esq.  But  it  is 
needless  to  enu- 
merate all  the 
buildings  in  the 
city,  be  they  pub- 
lic or  private. 
We  must  not  omit, 
however,  the  ele- 
gant private  resi- 
dence and  beau- 
tiful grounds  of 
Mr.  Jennings,  on 
the  corner  east  of 
the  depot.  They 
are  worthy  of  a 
visit,  and  so,  also, 
is  the  elegant  pri- 
vate residence  of 
Feramor  Little, 
directly  east  of  the 
Deseret  National 
Bank.  The  theater 
is  open  occasion- 
ally in  the  even- 
ing, where  may  be 
seen  many  of  the 
leading  Mormons 
and  their  families. 

The  city  is  sup- 
plied with  gas, 
water,  and  street 
railroads.  The 
water  is  brought 
from  City  Creek 
Canon,  through  the  principal  streets,  in  iron 
pipes,  though  in  some  seasons  the  supply  is 
rather  short. 

Scenery  Near  the  City. — North  of  the  city, 
Ensign  Peak  lifts  its  head,  the  Mountain  of 
Prophecy,  etc.  Its  crown  is  oval  in  shape,  and 
the  mountain,  etc.,  is  said  to  have  been  seen  in  a 
vision  by  some  of  the  Mormon  dignitaries  long 
before  it  was  beheld  by  the  naked  eyes  of  the 
present  settlers.  The  sight  from  this  peak,  or 
others  near  at  hand,  is  grand  and  impressive. 
Under  your  feet  lies  the  City  of  the  Saints,  to 


INTERIOR  OF  MORMON  TABERNACLE. — THE  GREAT  ORGAN. 


the  west  the  Great  Salt  Lake,  to  the  south  the 
valley  of  the  river  Jordan,  the  settlements  along 
the  line  of  the  railroad,  and  the  mountains  on 
either  side.  Though  the  way  to  the  summit  re- 
quires a  little  toil,  and  will  expand  one's  lungs  to 
the  fullest  extent,  yet  the  reward,  when  once  the 
summit  is  reached,  will  amply  pay  for  all  the 
toil  it  has  cost. 

In  the  summer  months  only,  the  Tabernacle  is 
open,  and  the  services  of  the  Mormon  church  are 

then  held  there 
nearly  every  Sab- 
bath. Behind  the 
rostrum  or  pulpit 
is  the  great  organ, 
made  in  the  city, 
and  said  to  be  the 
second  in  size  on 
the  Continent. 

East  of  the  city 
there  seems  to  be 
a  withdrawal  of 
the  mountains  and 
a  part  of  a  circle, 
formed  like  an 
amphitheatre. 
About  two  miles 
east  is  Camp 
Douglas,  estab- 
lished by  General 
Connor  during  the 
late  war.  It  is  beau- 
tifully located  on 
an  elevated  bench 
commanding  the 
city,and  at  the  base 
of  the  mountains. 
New  buildings 
have  been  erected, 
and  it  is  now 
considered  one 
of  the  finest  and 
most  convenient 
posts  the  govern- 
ment has.  It  is 
supplied  with 
water  from  Red 
Butte  Canon,  and 
has  a  great  many 
conveniences. 
Below  Camp  Douglas,  Emigration  Canon  next 
cuts  the  mountains  in  twain.  It  is  the  canon 
through  which  Orson  Pratt  and  his  companions 
came  when  they  first  discovered  the  valley,  the 
lake,  and  the  site  for  a  city — through  which 
Brigham  Young  and  the  pioneers  came,  and  was 
the  route  by  which  nearly  all  the  overland  emi- 
grants arrived,  on  coming  from  the  East.  Below 
this,  as  you  look  south,  is  Parley's  Canon, 
through  which  a  road  leads  to  Parley's  Park  and 
the  mining  districts  in  that  region.  Then  comes 
South  Mill  Creek  with  its  canon,  through  the 


139 


towering  peaks,  and  then  the  Big  Cottonwood 
Creek  and  Canon.  Between  it  and  Little  Cot- 
tonwood Canon,  next  on  the  south,  is  the  mount- 
ain of  silver — or  the  hill  upon  which  is  located 
some  of  the  richest  paying  mines  in  the  Terri- 
tory. Here  is  the  Flagstaff,  the  North  Star,  the 
Emma,  the  Reed  &  Benson,  and  others  worth 
their  millions.  The  Emma  mine  has  become 
notorious  in  the  history  of  mines,  but  there  is 
not  a  practical  miner  in  Utah  who  doubts  the 
existence  of  large  bodies  of  rich  ore  there,  and, 
if  it  had  been  practically  worked,  would,  in  the 
opinion  of 
many,  have 
equaled,  if  not 
exceeded,  the 
celebrated  Corn- 
stock  lode  be- 
fore this. 

No  visitor  to 
Salt  Lake 
s  h  o  u  Id  leave 
the  city  with- 
out a  trip  to  the 
lake  and  a  ride 
on  its  placid 
bosom — a  trip, 
also,  to  the 
southern  ter- 
minus of  the 
Utah  Southern 
Railroad,  the 
mountains  and 
canons  along 
its  line,  and  to 
the  mountains 
and  mines  of 
Stockton, 
Ophir,  Bing- 
ham,  and  above 
all,  the  Cotton- 
wood  districts. 
If  you  are  fur- 
ther inclined  to 
improve  the  op- 
portunity, ride 
up  to  Parley's 
Park,  go  to 
Provo  and  spend  a  week,  or  a  month  even,  in 
visiting  the  wonderful  canons  near  there,  and 
in  hunting  and  fishing  in  the  mountain  streams 
and  in  Lake  Utah.  A  trip  to  the  summit  of 
old  Mount  Nebo  would  afford  you  good  ex- 
ercise, and  very  fine  views.  With  Salt  Lake 
for  headquarters,  all  these  places  can  be  taken 
in,  and  your  only  regret  will  be  that  you  did 
not  stay  longer,  travel  farther,  and  see  more  of 
this  wonderful  land. 

Gardening  Irrigation. — The  city  was 
originally  laid  out  in  large  ten  acre  blocks,  which 
were,  in  time,  subdivided  into  house  lots,  most 
of  which,  having  been  liberally  planted  with 


yTEW  RESIDENCE  OF  BRIGHAM  YOUNG.  —  AMELIA  PALACE. 


fruit  trees,  have  since  grown  with  great  luxuri- 
ance, and  the  city  seems  a  vast  fruit  orchard  and 
garden.  Through  all  the  streets  run  the  little 
irrigating  streams,  and  every  part  of  the  city 
has  its  chance,  once  or  twice  a  week,  to  get  a  sup- 
ply of  pure  water  to  wet  the  soil  and  freshen  the 
vegetation. 

The  city  is  divided  into  wards.  Every  ward 
has  its  master,  and  he  compels  all  the  inhab- 
itants to  turn  out  and  work  on  public  improve- 
ments. There  is  no  shirking.  Every  one  has  a 
responsibility  to  guard  and  watch  his  own 

property,  take 
care  of  his  own 
irrigating 
ditches,  and 
keep  his  ward 
in  perfect  order. 
The  city  is  one 
of  perfect  order 
and  quietness. 

Through  all 
the  streets  of 
the  city  there 
is  a  universal 
and  luxuriant 
growth  of 
shade  trees. 
These  have 
been  planted 
profusely,  and 
grow  with 
amazing  rapid- 
ity. The  lo- 
iust,  maple  and 
aox-elder,  are 
the  greatest  fa- 
vorites, the  for- 
mer, however, 
being  most 
planted.  In 
many  cases 
the  roots  have 
struck  the  al- 
kali soils,  which 
contain  an  ex- 
cess o  f  soda 
and  potash,  and 
their  leaves  have  turned  from  a  bright  or  dark 
green  to  a  sickly  yellow — and  often  trees  may  be 
noticed,  half  green  and  half  yellow. 

This  alkali  has  to  be  washed  out  of  the  soil  by 
irrigation,  and  gradually  grows  less  positive  year 
by  year.  In  nearly  all  the  gardens  are  splendid 
apples,  pears,  plums  and  apricots,  growing  with 
exceeding  thrift,  and  covered  with  the  most 
beautiful  blushing  colors.  Apricots  which  in 
the  East  are  almost  unknown,  here  have  been  so 
abundant  as  often  to  sell  as  low  as  $1.00  per 
bushel,  and  we  have  seen  them  as  large  as  east- 
ern peaches,  from  four  to  six  and  eight  inches 
round. 


140 


Flowers  are  very  abundant,  and  vegetables  are 
wonderfully  prolific.  In  the  gardens  of  William 
Jennings,  may  be  seen  growing  out  doors  on 
trellises,  grapes,  the  Black  Hamburgh,  Golden 
Chasselas  and  Mission  grape,  varieties  which  are 
only  grown  in  a  hot-house  in  the  East.  Through 
all  the  gardens  can  be  seen  an  abundance  of 
raspberries,  gooseberries  and  currants.  In  Mr. 
Jennings's  garden,  in  summer,  may  be  seen  a 
pretty  flower  garden,  150  feet  in  diameter, — 
within  the  center  of  which  is  a  piece  of  velvety 
lawn — the  finest  and  most  perfect  ever  seen — 
while  from  it,  southward,  can  be  caught  a  spe- 
cially glorious  view  of  the  Twin  Peaks  of  the 
Wahsatch  Mountains,  capped  with  unvarying 
snow. 

Future  of  Salt  Lake  City. — The  futui-e  of 
Salt  Lake  depends  upon  two  things — the  mines 
and  the  railroads.  If  the  mines  are  developed 
and  capital  is  thus  increased,  it  will  have  a  ten- 
dency to  cause  an  immense  amount  of  building 
in  the  city,  and  a  corresponding  advance  in  real 
estate.  It  is  claimed  that  the  citv  now  has  a 
population  of  30,000  souls,  but  we  "think  22,000 
a  closer  estimate.  Many  parties  owning  and 
operating  mines  make  the  city  their  place  of 
residence,  and  some  have  already  invested  in 
real  estate  there.  We  heard  the  opinion  of  a 
wealthy  capitalist  —  a  gentleman  operating  in 
mines — to  the  effect  that  in  ten  years  Salt  Lake 
would  number  250,000  people,  but  he  was  a  little 
enthusiastic.  If  the  Utah  Southern  is  extended 
to  the  Pacific  Coast,  it  will  add  largely  to  the 
wealth,  population  and  influence  of  the  "  City  of 
the  Saints."  The  silent  influence  of  the  Gen- 
tiles and  the  moral  power  of  the  Nation  has 
already  had  an  effect  upon  the  Mormons  of  the 
city,  which  will  soon  be  felt  throughout  the  Ter- 
ritory. The  discovery  and  development  of  the 
mines  will  largely  increase  the  Gentile  popula- 
tion throughout  the  Territory,  and  their  influ- 
ence will  then  be  each  year  more  powerfully  felt, 
and  we  question  if  Mormonism  will  be  strong 
enough  to  withstand  them. 

Newspapers. — The  press  of  Salt  Lake  is 
exceedingly  peculiar.  The  Daily  News  is  the 
recognized  church  organ ;  the  Daily  Herald  is 
more  lively.  It  is  the  oi'gan  of  the  so-called  pro- 
gressive Mormons.  The  Daily  Tribune  is  a 
stinging,  lively  journal — the  leading  organ  of 
the  opposition  to  the  priesthood  and  the  the- 
ocracy. The  Mail  is  an  evening  paper  under 
Gentile  influences,  but  not  as  bold  or  belligerent 
as  the  Tribune.  The  Utah  Weekly  Miner  is  a 
paper  devoted  to  the  development  of  the  mineral 
resources  of  the  Territory.  There  is  another  lit- 
tle evening  paper  called  the  Times,  under  church 
influences.  Fortunes  have  been  expended  upon 
newspaper  enterprises  in  Salt  Lake,  but  with  the 
exception  of  the  three  papers  first  mentioned, 
none  have  succeeded.  The  ground  is  now,  how- 
ever, fully  occupied,  and  further  efforts  should 


be  directed  toward  improving  those  already 
established,  rather  than  in  new  and  costly  ex- 
periments. 

The  Utah  Southern  Railroad. — This 
road  is  really  a  continuation  of  the  Utah  Cen- 
tral. It  was  begun  on  the  1st  day  of  May,  1871, 
and  completed  to  Sandy  that  same  year.  In 
1872  it  was  extended  to  Lehi,  about  thirty  miles 
from  Salt  Lake  City.  In  1873  it  was  extended 
to  Provo,  and  its  present  terminus  is  at  York,  a 
little  place  just  across  the  divide  between  Lake 
Utah  and  Juab  Valley.  It  will  probably  be  ex- 
tended from  a  hundred  to  a  hundred  and  fifty 
miles  the  present  year.  York  is  75  miles 
from  Salt  Lake  City,  and  16  miles  from  Nephi, 
the  next  town  on  its  proposed  line  of  any  im- 
portance. The  stockholders  of  the  Union  Pacific 
Road,  own  a  controlling  interest  in  this,  as  also 
in  the  Utah  Central.  It  will  probably  be  ex- 
tended to  the  Pacific  Coast  sometime.  The 
following  is  the  record  of  freight  received  and 
forwarded  at  the  Salt  Lake  City  Station  for  the 
year  1875.  Freight  received,  70,916,527  Ibs. 
Freight  forwarded,  71,969,954  Ibs.  Its  gross 
earnings  for  same  period,  were  $188,987.60, — and 
its  operating  expenses,  were  $120,650.87.  The 
great  bulk  of  its  business  is  between  Salt  Lake 
City  and  Sandy,  though  travel  and  traffic  are 
gradually  increasing  on  the  balance  of  its  line, 
and  will  rapidly  double  up  as  soon  as  the  road 
shall  have  reached  the  rich  mining  districts  in 
the  southern  portions  of  Utah,  which  are  at  pres- 
ent comparatively  undeveloped.  Its  general  di- 
rection is  southward  from  Salt  Lake  City,  up  the 
Jordan  Valley  to  the  Valley  of  Lake  Utah,  and 
thence  across  the  divide  as  before  mentioned. 
Travelers  visiting  this  Territory  should  not  fail 
to  visit  the  towns,  valleys  and  mountains  on  this 
line  of  road.  The  Valley  of  Lake  Utah  espe- 
cially, entirely  surrounded  by  mountains  lofty  and 
rugged,  will  compare  favorably,  so  far  as  magnifi- 
cent scenery  is  concerned,  with  anything  of  a 
similar  character  to  be  found  either  in  Europe 
or  America.  Leaving  Salt  Lake  City,  we  slowly 
pass  through  the  limits  of  the  coiporation  where 
cultivated  fields  and  gardens,  with  farm  houses 
and  fine  orchards  of  all  kinds  of  fruit  trees, 
giving  evidences  of  thrift  on  every  side,  greet 
our  gaze.  Streams  of  water  are  constantly  run- 
ning through  the  irrigating  ditches,  and  the 
contrast  between  the  cultivated  lands  and  the 
sage  brush  deserts,  sometimes  side  by  side,  is 
wonderful.  On  our  left,  the  everlasting  mount- 
ains, with  their  crowns  of  snow  almost  always 
visible,  stand  like  an  impenetrable  barrier  to  ap- 
proaches from  the  east,  or  like  eternal  finger- 
boards, and  say  as  plainly  as  words  can  indicate 
— "  go  south  or  north ;  you  cannot  pass  us."  On 
the  right,  the  river  Jordan  winds  its  way  to  the 
waters  of  the  great  inland  sea,  while  beyond, 
towering  into  the  sky,  are  the  peaks  of  the 
Oquirrh  Range.  You  will  need  to  keep  your 


141 


eyes  wide  open,  and  gaze  quickly  upon  the 
rapidly  changing  scenes  as  they  come  into  view, 
or  swiftly  recede  from  your  vision ;  for,  between 
the  scenes  of  nature  and  the  works  of  man  in 
reclaiming  this  desert,  you  will  hardly  know 
which  to  admire  the  most,  or  which  is  the  most 
worthy  of  your  attention.  Passing  on,  we  arrive 
at  the  first  station — 

Little  Cottonwood, — 7  miles  from  the  city. 
It  is  a  way  station  at  which  trains  do  not  stop 
unless  flagged,  or  the  signal  is  given  from  on 
board  the  train.  All  the  canons  and  ravines  in 
the  mountains  supply  more  or  less  water,  which 
is  gathered  into  canals  and  distributed  through 
ditches  as  re- 
quired for  the 
fields,  meadows 
and  orchards. 
The  well  culti- 
vated fields  con- 
tinue until  we 
arrive  at 

Junction, — 
12  miles  from 
Salt  Lake  City, 
where  the  Biug- 
ham  Canon  & 
Camp  Floyd 
Railroad  inter- 
sects the  Utah 
Southern.  Pas- 
sengers here 
change  cars  for 
Bingham  Canon 
and  the  mining 
districts  in  that 
vicinity.  This 
road  i  s  about 
twenty-two 
miles  long  and 
i  s  extensively 
used  in  trans- 
porting ore,  bull- 
ion, coke,  coal 
and  charcoal  to 
and  from  the 
mines  and 
smelting  works 
and  railroad.  It  is  a  narrow  gauge  (three 
feet)  road  and  is  now  doing  a  fine  business. 

Sandy, — 13  miles  from  the  city  and  the  point 
of  intersection  of  the  Wahsatch  &  Jordan  Val- 
ley Railroad, — narrow  gauge  (three  feet).  This 
road  turns  off  to  the  left  and  goes  up  Little 
Cottonwood  Canon,  which  can  now  plainly  be 
seen  from  the  cars.  The  Big  Cottonwood  Canon 
is  also  in  sight.  There  they  are,  with  the  mount- 
ain of  silver  between  them.  There  is  silver 
enough  in  that  mountain  to  pay  the  national 
debt  of  the  United  States,  with  enough  left  to 
pay  for  a  huge  fourth  of  July  celebration.  This 
road  has  some  very  heavy  grades,  and,  on  the 


SNOW  SLIDE  MOUNTAIN.— LITTLE  COTTONWOOD  CANON. 


upper  end  of  it,  horses,  instead  of  engines,  are 
employed  to  haul  the  empty  cars.  These  two 
narrow  gauge  roads  are  now  under  one  manage- 
ment. The  Little  Cottonwood  Road  is  about 
eighteen  miles  in  length.  Sandy  is  a  flourish- 
ing little  town.  It  has  several  smelters,  or 
reduction  works,  where  crude  ore  is  converted 
into  bullion.  The  celebrated  Flagstaff  mine 
has  its  smelting  works  here  ;  its  ore  is  brought 
down  from  the  mine  on  the  Wahsatch  &  Jor- 
dan Valley  Railroad.  Every  visitor  to  Utah, 
who  is  at  all  interested  in  mines,  or  metal- 
lurgy, will  obtain  a  great  deal  of  informa- 
tion, and  be  amply  repaid  for  the  time  and  ex- 
pense of  a  visit 
to  its  more  cele- 
brated mining 
districts.  A 
visit  to  the  Bing- 
ham and  Little 
Cottonwood  Dis- 
tricts, certainly 
should  not  be 
neglected.  Leav- 
ing Sandy,  we 
enter  into  a  des- 
ert country 
again ;  the  farm- 
houses are  scat- 
tering, though 
the  land  on  the 
right,  toward 
the  immediate 
vicinity  of  the 
Jordan,  is  still 
pretty  well  set- 
tled. The  next 
station  is 

DrapervUle, 
— 17  miles  from 
Salt  Lake  City. 
It  is  an  unim- 
portant station, 
convenient  to  a 
little  Mormon 
settlement. 
Leaving  this  sta- 
tion we  soon 
cross  South  Willow  Creek,  and  then  follow  the 
outer  rim  of  the  hills  around  the  valley  toward 
the  right,  like  a  huge  amphitheatre.  We  have 
been  going  up  hill,  and,  as  we  turn  to  the  right, 
to  get  through  a  pass  or  gorge  in  the  mount- 
ains, the  valley  below  us  with  Sandy,  Salt 
Lake  City,  Salt  Lake  itself,  its  islands,  the 
mountains  beyond  and  a  vast  scope  of  country 
is  suddenly  unrolled,  like  a  beautiful  panorama, 
to  our  view  —  a  magnificent  spectacle  which 
never  fails  to  excite  and  satisfy  the  beholder. 
Turning  to  the  left  again,  we  near  the  narrows, 
and,  looking  to  the  right,  the  river  Jordan 
winds  along  beneath  us ;  then,  passing  through 


142 


a  deep  cut,  we  suddenly  emerge  into  the 
valley  of  Lake  Utah,  and  at  once  become  en- 
chanted with  the  lovely  view  now  spread  out  be- 
fore us.  The  valley,  cities  and  towns  we  have 
just  left,  are  entirely  shut  out  from  our  vision, 
and,  in  their  stead,  new  wonders  invite  our  at- 
tention. There  is  Lake  Utah,  with  little  villages 
and  settlements  between  its  shores  and  the  base 
of  the  mountains,  and  those  mountains  thou- 
sands of  feet  in  height,  piercing  the  very  clouds, 
around  it.  With  an  elevation  about  500  feet 
higher  than  that  of  the  Great  Salt  Lake,  it 
lies  nestled  down  among  the  lofty  peaks,  as 
though  it  would  hide  its  beauty  and  shun  the 
gaze  of  the  outside  world.  But  iron  arms  have 
forced  their  way  through  the  rugged  defiles,  and 
now  hold  it  in  long  and  lasting  embrace. 
Henceforth  it  will  receive  the  homage  of  thou- 
sands, and  become  a  place  of  worship  to  the 
multitudes  who  shall  see  in  it  and  its  surround- 
ings, the  Mecca  of  their  pilgrimages — the  grati- 
fication of  their  desires  and  the  satisfaction  of 
every  hope.  This  is  strong  language,  and  the 
tourist  himself  shall  be  the  judge  of  its  truth- 
fulness. This  lake  is  virtually  the  head  of  the 
river  Jordan.  It  winds  its  way,  like  a  ribbon  of 
silver,  through  the  valley,  passes  through  the 
gorge  we  have  entered  and  becomes  lost  to  view. 
Down  into  the  valley  of  the  lake  we  go  and  ar- 
rive at 

Lehif — the  next  station,  31  miles  from  the 
City  of  the  Saints.  It  is  located  on  Dry  Canon 
Creek,  though  the  creek  furnishes  water  suffi- 
cient to  irrigate  the  thrifty  farms  bordering  the 
little  village.  A  large  portion  of  the  bottom- 
lands around  the  lake  are  cultivated  and  irrigated 
with  the  water  that  flows  down  the  mountain 
streams. 

American  Forte, — 34  miles  from  Salt  Lake 
City,  is  now  reached.  It  is  named  from  the 
creek  and  canon  back  of  the  town,  which  has 
cleft  the  mountains  in  twain,  and  left  on  their 
ragged  edges  the  marks  of  the  heroic  and  victo- 
rious struggle.  From  this  town  another  narrow 
gauge  railroad  has  been  built  up  the  canon  to 
Deer  Creek,  some  twelve  miles,  to  accommodate 
the  necessities  of  the  mines  which  have  been 
opened  there.  It  will  be  extended  whenever 
the  increased  productions  of  these  mines  shall 
demand  it.  Of  the  grand  scenery  of  this 
noted  canon  we  shall  speak  in  another  place. 
The  town  is  about  six  miles  from  the  mouth 
of  the  canon,  and  has  every  appearance  of  the 
industry  which  usually  characterizes  Mormon 
towns. 

Pleasant  Grove,— -37  miles  from  the  city,  is 
the  next  station.  It  is  a  thriving  farming  set- 
tlement, and  similar  to  all  the  little  villages  in 
the  Territory.  It  was  formerly  called  Battle 
Creek  because  of  a  fight  which  early  settlers  had 
with  the  Ute  Indians.  Leaving  Pleasant  Grove 
we  soon  arrive  at 


Frovo, — 48  miles  from  Salt  Lake  City,  and 
the  third  town  in  size  in  Utah  Territory,  having 
a  population  of  about  5,000  souls.  After  leaving 
the  last  station,  off  to  the  left,  Provo  Canon  is 
visible,  with  Provo  or  Timpanogos  River  flowing 
through  it.  This  river  rises  in  the  western  spur 
of  the  Uintah  Mountains,  flows  along  the  south- 
ern part  of  Kammas  Prairie  and  then  turns  to  the 
south-west,  entering  what  is  called  Provo  Valley, 
which  lies  east  of  the  range  of  mountains  on  our 
left,  and  finally  cutting  through  this  range  into 
the  valley  of  Lake  Utah.  Observe,  as  you  ap- 
proach the  town,  how  the  strata  of  rocks  in  the 
mountains  on  each  side  of  the  canon  dip  toward 
each  other.  An  immense  body  of  water  flows 
down  this  river,  annually — more  than  passes 
through  the  river  Jordan,  the  surplus  being 
taken  up  by  evaporation  or  drank  by  the 
thirsty  soil.  We  cross  the  river  as  we  ap- 
proach the  town,  and  for  the  first  time  since 
leaving  Salt  Lake,  see  small  bodies  of  timber, 
mostly  cottonwood,  and  a  thick  undergrowth  of 
brush,  etc. 

Sporting. — Between  the  town  and  lake  are 
low  marshes  and  meadows  which  render  this 
place  a  paradise  for  ducks,  which  fact  the  sports- 
man will  do  well  to  note.  The  streams  which 
flow  into  the  lake  abound  in  fish,  and  the  lake 
itself  is  full  of  trout,  chub,  suckers,  etc.  It  is 
no  unfrequent  matter  to  catch  trout  here  weigh- 
ing from  seven  to  ten  pounds,  though  from  two 
to  five  pounds  is  their  usual  weight.  The  trout 
ascend  the  streams  in  the  proper  season  to  de- 
posit their  spawti ;  the  suckers  follow  to  devour 
it,  and  sometimes  they  almost  choke  the  river,  so 
vast  are  they  in  numbers,  and  are  caught  in 
large  quantities.  The  streams  sometimes  fall  so 
rapidly  that  they  are  left  in  shallow  places  and 
die  there  as  the  water  recedes.  Measures  should 
be  taken  to  prevent  this  wholesale  raid  on  the 
spawn  of  the  trout,  or  it  will  soon  be  des- 
troyed— at  least  materially  lessened.  If  the 
suckers  are  masters  of  the  situation,  so  far  as  the 
spawn  is  concerned,  the  reverse  holds  true  with 
the  trout  in  the  lake,  for  there  they  attack  the 
suckers  without  mercy,  and  the  old  adage  that 
"  the  big  fish  eat  the  little  ones,"  proves  liter- 
ally true.  It  is  evident  that  the  young  suck- 
ers are  highly  relished  by  the  larger  trout  in  this 
lake. 

The  town  of  Provo  is  regularly  laid  out,  has 
numerous  school-houses,  stores,  grist-mill,  tanner- 
ies, woolen  factory,  etc.  Brigham  Young  has  a 
private  residence  here,  which  he  frequently  visits, 
and  which  is  occupied  by  one  of  his  so-called 
wives.  It  has  finely  cultivated  gardens,  yards, 
orchards  and  small  farms  adjacent. 

Sprinffvitte, — 53  miles  from  Salt  Lake  City. 
The  little  town  lies  back  under  the  mountains, 
and  will  probably  be  the  initial  point  of  a  narrow 
gauge  railroad  to  the  extensive  coal  fields  in 
Strawberry  Valley,  some  60  miles  east.  This 


143 


coal  possesses  coking  qualities,  and  as  a  large 
amount  of  coke  is  now  imported  from  Pittsburg, 
Pa.,  for  the  use  of  the  numerous  smelting  works 
in  the  Territory,  it  at  once  becomes  an  object  to 
manufacture  it  nearer  home.  Coke  made  from 
coal  found  in  the  San  Pete  Valley  is  already  ship- 
ped from  this  point.  Still  rounding  the  eastern 
rim  of  the  valley,  we  soon  arrive  at  the  next  sta- 
tion, which  is 

Spanish  Fork, — 58  miles  from  Salt  Lake 
City.  To  the  left,  the  traveler  will  observe  the 
canons  and  gorges  which  have  cut  their  way 
through  the  mountains,  and  the  lofty  peaks  of 
Mount  Nebo,  now  nearly  in  front.  Hobble 
Creek  courses  a  canon  through  the  range  back 
of  Springville,  and  now  Spanish  Fork  does  like- 
wise. There  is  more  of  a  depression  in  the 
mountain,  however,  where  this  river  canons 
through.  It  has  two  main  branches  on  the  other 
side  of  the  range — upon  the  northern,  the  pro- 
posed Denver  Railroad  comes  in,  while  the 
southern  branch  heads  in  the  divide  that  crosses 
San  Pete  Valley,  east  of  Mount  Nebo.  Near 
Wales,  in  this  valley,  coking  coal  has  been  dis- 
covered, ovens  erected,  and  the  manufactured 
article  is  now  delivered  at  Springville,  being 
hauled  nearly  60  miles  by  wagons.  The  pro- 
jected railroad  from  Springville,  will  pass  up  the 
valley  of  the  Spanish  Fork  River.  The  town  is 
located  on  this  river,  a  little  distance  from  the 
road.  We  cross  the  river  soon  after  leaving 
the  station.  A  little  village  called  Pontoun,  is 
seen  on  the  left  at  the  base  of  Mount  Nebo. 

Payson, — 66  miles  from  the  City  of  the 
Saints.  Iron  ore  is  shipped  from  here  to  the 
smelters,  where  it  is  used  for  fluxing  purposes  in 
the  reduction  of  ore.  It  is  hauled  some  14  miles 
by  wagons.  It  is  said  to  bear  60  or  65  per  cent, 
of  iron,  and  is  known  as  brown  hematite.  At 
this  station  and  the  next,  ore  and  bullion  are 
hauled  from  the  East  Tintic  Mining  District, 
which  is  about  22  miles  away.  To  our  right,  a 
mountain  rises  from  the  level  plain  around  it, 
while  the  lake  puts  out  an  arm,  as  if  to  clasp  it 
in  fond  embrace.  Between  this  mountain  and 
Mount  Nebo,  the  road  finds  its  way,  and  a  little 
farther  on,  this  arm  of  the  lake  can  be  seen  west 
of  the  mountain. 

Santaquin — is  the  next  station,  71  miles 
from  Salt  Lake  City.  This  station  is  also  an 
outlet  for  the  mining  district  referred  to,  and 
for  one  or  two  little  villages  nestled  down  at  the 
base  of  the  mountains  on  the  left.  The  road  now 
passes  through  a  low  depression  or  valley,  which 
divides  the  Wahsatch  and  Oquirrh  Ranges,  and 
across  the  divide  between  Lake  Utah  and  Juab 
Valley,  by  easy  grades,  and  we  soon  arrive  at 

York, — 75  miles  from  the  northern  terminus, 
and  the  present  southern  terminus  of  the  Utah 
Southern  Railroad.  The  town  is  of  no  particular 
importance,  and  will  lose  its  present  significance 
as  soon  as  the  road  is  extended.  In  fact  it  is  no 


place  for  a  town,  and  there  is  no  country  around 
it  to  support  one.  Farther  down  the  valley, 
streams  from  the  mountains  come  in,  water  for 
irrigation  can  be  obtained,  and  the  desert,  under 
the  manipulations  of  labor,  is  made  to  bud  and 
blossom  as  the  rose.  When  the  road  is  extended 
to  Nephi,  16  miles,  the  traveler  can  pass  into  a 
beautiful  and  highly  cultivated  valley,  and  be- 
hold the  towering  form  and  giant  outlines  of 
Mount  Nebo,  from  the  south.  It  is  one  of  the 
highest  peaks  in  the  Wahsatch  Range  of  the 
Rocky  Mountains,  and  its  lofty  head  whitened 
by  eternal  snows,  is  frequently  obscured  by 
clouds.  The  elevation  of  the  summit  of  this 
mountain,  is  given  by  the  Engineer  Department 
of  the  United  States  Army,  at  11,922  feet. 
Froiseth's  map  of  Utah  places  it  at  12,000  feet, 
but  the  difference  is  so  slight  as  to  be  scarcely 
worthy  of  notice.  It  is  a  grand  old  mountain, 
and  worthy  of  a  visit  from  the  remotest  parts  of 
the  globe. 

AMERICAN  FORK  CANON. 

Of  this  canon,  no  less  a  writer  than  the  late 
Charles  Kingsley,  Canon  of  the  English  Church 
in  London,  England,  has  given  the  most  enthusi- 
astic expression,  and  declares  it  "  The  rival  of  the 
Yosemite." 

It  is  by  far  the  most  wonderful  of  all  the  canons 
which  are  within  convenient  access  to  the  Pacific 
Railroad,  and  tourists  who  value  sights  of  grand- 
eur and  sublime  rock  scenery,  must  not  omit  it 
in  their  overland  tour.  In  interest,  beauty,  and 
as  a  delightful  pleasure  trip,  it  will  surpass  either 
Echo,  Weber,  or  Humboldt  Canons,  and  not  a 
little  of  the  joy  is  attributable  to  the  novel  mode 
of  ascent  and  descent. 

Taking  the  cars  of  the  Utah  Southern  Rail- 
road at  Salt  Lake  City,  proceed  southward  to 
American  Fork  Station  ;  there  a  little  train  is  in 
waiting  with  narrow  gauge  cars  and  locomotive. 
If  the  party  is  large  enough  for  a  picnic,  so  much 
the  better,  as  often  flat  cars  are  added,  neatly 
trimmed  with  evergreen  boughs.  The  railroad, 
after  leaving  the  station  turns  directly  toward 
the  mountain  range,  and  gradually  ascends  for 
the  first  six  miles,  a  steady  grade  of  200  feet  to 
the  mile,  until  just  before  the  mouth  of  the  can- 
on it  reaches  296  feet.  Nothing  can  describe  the 
apparent  desolation  of  sage  brush  and  dry  sterile 
appearance  of  the  soil,  but  here  and  there  where- 
ever  the  little  mountain  brook  can  be  diverted 
from  its  course,  and  its  water  used  to  irrigate  the 
land,  the  richest  of  fruit  trees,  grass  and  grain 
spring  up  and  give  abundant  crops.  The  little 
stream,  with  its  rapid  fall,  follows  us  up  the 
entire  length  of  the  canon.  The  upward  ascent 
of  the  grade  seems,  hardly  noticeable,  of  so  uni- 
form a  slope  is  the  surface  of  the  country,  and  it 
is  not  till  the  base  of  the  mountains  is  reached, 
and  the  tourist  looks  back,  he  realizes  his  height, 


144 


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145 


and  sees  in  the  distance  the  clear  surface  of  Utah 
Lake  considerably  below  him.  Gathering  now 
on  the  flat  cars — where  the  scenery  can  be  best 
observed — the  little  train  slowly  enters  the  canon. 
Scarcely  500  feet  are  passed  over  before  there 
bursts  upon  the  eye  views  of  rock  scenes  of  the 
most  rugged  character.  The  little  valley  is 
scarcely  100  feet  broad,  and  in  its  widest  part 
not  over  200  feet,  but  from  the  very  track  and  little 
stream,  the  rocks  loom  up  into  heights  of  start- 
ling distinctness  and  almost  perpendicular  ele- 
vation. 

The  color  of  the  rocks  is  uniformly  of  very 
dark  red  and  brown  granite,  apparently  having 
once  been  heated  in  a  terrible  furnace,  and  then 
in  melting  had  arranged  themselves  into  rugged 
and  fantastic  shape  more  than  mortal  could  con- 
ceive. 

At  the  beginning  of  the  canon,  the  rocks  aver- 
age about  800  feet  in  height,  then,  as  the  route 
ascends,  the  sides  become  more  and  more  bold 
and  erect, — the  height  greater,  and  the  summits 
sticking  up  in  jagged  points  seem  like  heaven- 
reaching  spires, — often  1,500,  2,000,  and  2,500 
feet  above  the  observer. 

No  pen  can  picture  the  sensations  of  the  ob- 
server, as  he  passes  slowly  through  these  scenes 
— which  are  constantly  shifting.  Each  turn  in 
the  road  brings  forward  some  new  view,  more 
entrancing  than  the  last, — and  on  either  side, 
front  and  rear,  the  vision  is  superb  in  the  high- 
est degree.  We  could  not  term  these  scenes 
better  than  to  call  them  "  Rock  Kaleidoscopes" 
For  in  this  short  distance  of  12  miles,  there  is  a 
constant  succession  of  castellated  heights,  titanic 
monsters,  spires,  rock  mountains  of  increasing 
height,  sublime  form  and  piercing  altitudes, 
meeting  us,  crossing  our  path,  and  shooting  up 
above  and  around  us  the  entire  distance, — it 
seems  like  a  succession  of  nature's  castles,  far 
more  rugged  and  picturesque  than  the  castle 
covered  rocks  of  the  Rhine.  Rocks  of  endless 
form  and  beauty,  vistas  of  rocks,  sky  tower- 
ing summits,  bold  crags,  and  flinty  points  jut- 
ting out  from  the  mountain  sides  in  most  profuse, 
rugged,  yet  charming  positions  and  combina- 
tions, that  those  eyes  which  once  had  no  admira- 
tion for  rocks — here  confess  with  extreme  en- 
thusiasm, that  there  is  beauty  beyond  the  wildest 
imaginations. 

While  passing  upward,  the  train  is  very  slow, 
scarcely  passing  more  than  four  or  six  miles  per 
hour, — the  traveler  will  see  some  rocks  of  curious 
formations  at  the  left  hand,  about  one-third  of 
the  way  up;  on  the  summit  of  one  of  the 
highest  crags,  will  be  seen  a  sharp-pointed  rock, 
and  in  it  a  large  distinct  hole,  through  which  can 
be  seen  the  sky  beyond.  The  contrast  of  the 
dark  brown  rock,  and  the  clear  blue  of  the  sky  is 
intense.  This  is  familiarly  called  the  Devil's 
Eye. 

Farther  up,  the  track  passes  under  the  jutting 
10 


edge  of  a  rock  mountain  with  a  sharply  cut 
alcove  in  its  base.  This  is  Hanging  Rock — the 
roof  of  the  rock  which  projects  over  the  railroad, 
being  about  20  feet  outward. 

Near  the  upper  part  of  the  canon,  just  before 
reaching  the  junction  of  two  little  valleys,  the 
track  reaches  a  huge  rock  mountain  overlooking 
a  little  wilderness  of  trees  and  vegetation,  in  the 
center  of  which  is  located  the  Old  Mill.  It  is 
now  entirely  useless,  once  used  for  sawing  timber 
and  ties  for  the  railroad,  but  though  it  has  left 
its  field  of  usefulness  behind, — it  has  remained 
to  add  a  far  more  important  help  to  art.  The 
scene  as  viewed  in  our  illustration,  is  one  consid- 
ered the  most  lovely  and  picturesque,  not  only  of 
the  entire  canon,  but  also  of  all  the  Territory.  In 
all  that  grand  reach  of  country,  of  2,000  miles 
from  Omaha  to  the  Sierras,  not  a  single  view  is 
the  equal  of  this  delightful  scene  of  the  Old 
Mill.  The  dense  growth  of  trees,  the  rippling 
water,  the  bold  rock  at  the  side,  the  soft  shades 
of  light  in  the  distance,  the  luxuriant  bushes 
along  the  stream,  and  the  little  silent  deserted 
mill,  situated  exactly  in  the  most  beautiful  site, 
make  up  a  view  which  artists  of  keenest  taste 
admit  with  rapture  is  unparalleled  in  beauty. 

Beyond  this,  as  the  track  ascends  the  canon, 
it  is  bordered  with  more  shrubbery  and  trees, — 
and  the  rock  views  partially  ceasing — the  tourist 
will  find  his  best  vision  looking  backward,  with 
a  good  view  of  the  tallest  mountain  of  the  canon, 
Lone  Mountain,  or  Mount  Aspinwall. 

At  last  the  end  of  the  track  is  reached  at  Deer 
Creek,  though  the  canon  continues  six  miles  or 
more  to  the  Silver  Lake  Mine.  At  Deer  Creek, 
there  is  a  little  village  with  a  comfortable  inn 
and  store,  and  a  large  collection  of  charcoal 
kilns.  This  business  is  quite  large,  there  being 
ten  pits  of  brick,  which  reduce  each  about  1,100 
bushels  of  charcoal,  for  which  the  proprietor 
gets  25  cents  per  bushel, — a  business  of  about 
$50,000  per  year  is  done. 

The  Miller  Mine  has  been  estimated  exceed- 
ingly rich,  and  is  owned  largely  by  New  York 
capitalists,  who  work  it  steadily.  It  is  said  to 
yield,  with  lead,  over  fifty  ounces  of  silver  per 
ton.  The  American  Fork  Railroad  was  built 
originally  to  facilitate  the  carrying  of  ores, 
as  well  as  the  charcoal,  but  the  grandeur  of 
the  scenery  has  given  it  a  celebrity  among 
tourists,  far  beyond  that  of  any  railroad  in 
Utah. 

At  Deer  Creek  is  a  good  hotel,  The  Mountain 
Glen  House,  and  a  lovely  picnic  grove,  pure  spring 
water,  and  for  those  of  good  wind  and  lovers  of  ad- 
venture,— an  opportunity  for  mountain  climbing. 

The  total  length  of  the  canon  to  this  point,  is 
12  miles,  and  the  total  length  of  the  railroad,  is 
16  miles, — cost  about  $400,000,  and  the  most 
solidly  built  narrow  gauge  railroad  in  the 
United  States.  The  total  ascent  in  elevation 
for  the  whole  railroad,  is  nearly  5,000  feet,  and 


SCENES  IN  AMERICAN  FORK  CANON. 

1.— Mt.  Aspinwall,  or  Lone  Mountain.    2.— Rock  Summits.    3.— Picnic  Grove,  Deer  Creek. 
4.— A  quiet  Glen.    5.— Hanging  Bock.    6.— Rock  Narrows. 


147 


the  average  grade  of  the  railroad  is  200  feet.  The 
maximum  grade  is  296  feet.  This  is  the  steepest 
railroad  grade  in  the  United  States,  and  the  only 
grade  over  200  feet  ascended  by  a  locomotive. 

Tourists  who  have  enjoyed  so  fine  and  glori- 
ous a  ride  up  the  canon  hither,  will  perhaps  ex- 
pect that  the  return  will  be  tame.  They  will  be 
most  pleasantly  surprised  and  disappointed,  for  it 
is  the  grandest  of  all  railroad  scenes  they  will  ever 
witness. 

Detaching  the  locomotive  from  the  train,  the 
conductor  stands  at  the  little  brake,  and  without 
a  signal  or  help,  the  little  cars  of  the  train 
quietly  start  on  their  downward  journey,  alone. 
Gliding  down  with  increasing  speed,  rounding 
the  curves  with  grand  and  swinging  motion,  the 
breeze  fanning  your  face,  and  the  beautiful, 
pure  mountain  air  stimulating  your  spirits  to 
the  highest  limits  of  exhilaration,  your  feelings 
and  body  are  in  an  intense  glow  of  delight,  as 
the  rock  scenes,  crags  and  mountain  heights 
come  back  again  in  all  their  sublimity,  and  your 
little  car,  securely  held,  glides  swiftly  down  the 
beautiful  valley.  In  no  part  of  the  country  is 
there  a  scene  to  be  compared  with  this.  The 
entire  being  is  fascinated,  and  when,  at  last,  the 
little  car  turns  swiftly  into  the  broad  plain,  the 
tourist  feels  he  has  left  behind  him  a  land  of  de- 
light. The  little  cars  occupy  but  one  hour  in 
making  the  descent,  and  the  writer  has  made  the 
trip  in  forty  minutes.  This  canon  was  first 
brought  to  the  notice  of  the  traveling  public  and 
pleasure  travelers  of  the  East,  by  the  editor  of 
"  THE  PACIFIC  TOURIST,"  who  conducted  over 
it,  in  1873,  the  first  body  of  editors  which  had 
ever  visited  the  locality.  Since  that  time,  while 
its  value  as  a  road  for  mining  purposes  has  be- 
come less  valuable,  yet  the  canon  has  become  so 
noted  as  a  resort  of  grand  and  remarkable  scen- 
ery, that  the  steady  crowd  of  pleasure  travelers, 
give  it  now  a  large  and  valuable  custom.  Tour- 
ists can  purchase  excursion  tickets  at  a  great 
reduction  from  single  prices.  No  one  who  crosses 
the  Continent,  should  omit  a  sight  of  this  most 
wonderful  locality. 

Lake  Utah. — This  beautiful  sheet  of  water 
lies  between  the  Oquirrh  and  Wahsatch  Ranges 
of  Mountains.  These  ranges  and  their  foot 
hills  come  closely  together  between  Drapersville 
and  Lehi,  and  the  River  Jordan  cuts  through 
them  there  in  a  narrow  gorge  or  canon.  The 
lake  and  valley  then  suddenly  burst  upon  the 
view  of  the  traveler,  and  admiration  grows  into 
enthusiasm  as  he  contemplates  the  lovely  picture 
before  him.  The  lake  is  about  thirty  miles  long 
and  six  miles  wide,  is  triangular  in  shape  and 
composed  of  fresh  water.  Its  elevation  is  about 
4,482  feet,  or  nearly  300  feet  greater  than  that  of 
the  Great  Salt  Lake.  The  railroad  goes  around 
the  eastern  side  of  the  lake,  turning  an  obtuse 
angle  at  or  near  Provo.  The  lake  is  fed  by  Provo 
River,  American  Fork,  Hobble,  Spanish  Fork, 


Peteetneet,  Salt  and  a  few  other  small  creeks. 
Its  outlet  is  the  Siver  Jordan  which  empties 
into  Great  Salt  Lake,  and  supplies  water  for 
irrigating  the  numerous  farms  in  its  valley. 
As  before  stated  the  lake  abounds  in  fish,  and 
on  its  eastern  and  northern  sides,  has  a  large 
quantity  of  arable  land.  Its  western  shore  is 
not  very  well  watered,  only  one  or  two  little 
creeks  putting  down  into  it  from  the  Oquirrh 
Range  of  Mountains.  It  is  well  worthy  of  a 
visit  from  the  tourist,  or  sportsman. 

The  Utah  Western  Railroad.  —  This 
road  was  first  chartered  on  the  15th  of  June, 
1874,  with  a  capital  stock  of  1900,000.  The 
company  is  mostly  composed  of  Utah  men 
having  their  residence  in  Salt  Lake  City ;  John 
W.  Young,  a  son  of  Brigham  Young,  being 
President,  while  Heber  P.  Kimball  is  Superin- 
tendent. The  same  year  it  was  chartered, 
twelve  miles  were  completed  and  opened  for 
business  on  the  12th  day  of  December,  and, 
on  the  1st  of  April,  1875,  it  was  completed  to 
Half-Way  House,  thirteen  miles  farther.  An 
extension  of  fourteen  miles  is  now  under  con- 
tract, which  will  doubtless  be  completed  the 
present  year.  This  last  extension  will  take  the 
road  to  within  one  and  a  half  miles  of  Stockton, 
a  prosperous  mining  town  on  the  western  slope 
of  the  Oquirrh  Range  of  Mountains.  Its  busi- 
ness on  twenty-five  miles  of  completed  road,  for 
the  year  beginning  February  10,  1875,  and  end- 
ing February  9,  1876,  both  days  inclusive,  was 
as  follows :  Freights  received,  15,284,636  Ibs. ; 
freights  forwarded,  5,276,619  Ibs.,  one  of  the 
smelting  works  near  Stockton,  alone  forwarding 
over  7,000,000  Ibs.  of  bullion,  ore,  etc.  The 
cash  receipts  for  the  same  time  were  as  follows  : 
$49,186,  and  the  operating  expenses  of  the  road, 
also,  for  the  same  period,  were  nearly  $16,000. 
It  is  a  narrow  gauge  road,  (three  feet)  and  has 
prospects  for  an  extensive  business  in  the  future. 
Its  general  route  is  westward  until  it  passes  the 
southernmost  point  of  the  Great  Salt  Lake,  and 
then  southward,  along  the  western  base  of  the 
Oquirrh  Range,  and  into  the  rich  mining  dis- 
tricts which  have  been  developed  on  the  western 
slope  of  those  mountains.  Leaving  Salt  Lake 
City,  on  a  heavy  downward  grade  of  ninety-five 
feet  to  the  mile,  but  which  is  short,  the  road 
crosses  the  River  Jordan  on  a  common  pile  bridge, 
and  then  over  a  barren  sage  brush  country,  un- 
til it  reaches 

Millstone  Point, — near  the  base  of  the 
mountains,  and  11  1-2  miles  from  Salt  Lake 
City.  This  place  is  named  from  the  fact  that 
the  first  millstones  used  in  grinding  grain  in 
Utah,  were  quarried  from  the  mountains  near 
this  point.  The  old  overland  stage  road  from 
Salt  Lake  City  to  California  passes  along  the 
line  of  the  road,  as  does  one  line  of  the  Western 
Union  Telegraph  Company,  to  the  present  ter- 
minus of  the  road.  The  station  is  of  no  partic- 


149 


ular  importance,  and  beyond  the  incident  men- 
tioned, is  without  a  history.  We  are  now  at  the 
base  of  the  Oquirrh  Range,  and  the  first  station 
of  the  Old  Stage  Company  where  they  changed 
horses  is  pointed  out  to  the  traveler  on  the  south 
side  of  the  road.  Beyond  Millstone  Point,  about 
two  miles  on  the  south  side  of  the  track,  is  a 
large  spring,  which  furnishes  a  good  supply  of 
water,  and  which  has  been  utilized  by  a  dairy- 
man. A  little  beyond  this  spring  on  the  same 
side  of  the  track,  there  is,  in  the  first  point  of 
rocks,  quite  an  extensive  cave  which  a  shepherd 
uses  as  a  shelter  fo'-  his  sheep,  during  the  inclem- 
ent season  of 
the  year.  A  rail 
fence  with  gate 
surrounds  the 
entrance  to  the 
cave,  and  it  is 
said  to  be  large 
enough  to  turn  a 
four  horse  team 
and  wagon  with- 
o  u  t  difficulty. 
The  extent  of 
the  outer  part  of 
the  cave  is  about 
40  feet,  where  a 
huge  fallen  rock 
precludes  f  u  r  - 
ther  access  with- 
o  u  t  inconven- 
ience. The  lake 
and  its  mount- 
ain islands,  and 
the  ranges  be- 
yond, now  come 
grandly  into 
view  on  the 
north  side  of 
the  track. 
The  next  sta- 
tion is 

Black  Rock, 
—17  1-2  miles 
from  Salt  Lake 


C  i  t  y, — a  s  t  a  - 
tion  named  from 
a  rock,  dark 
enough  to  be  called  black,  rising  in  the  lake 
about  100  yards  from  the  shore.  It  is  nearly 
flat  on  the  top,  and  with  a  little  effort  can  be 
easily  ascended.  Jutting  out  from  the  shore, 
and  a  short  distance  from  the  station,  is  "  Lion's 
Head "  Rock.  Beyond  this  is  "  Observation 
Point,"  from  which  the  Goose  Creek  Mountains, 
145  miles  north,  can  be  seen  in  a  clear  day,  with 
their  white  peaks  glistening  in  the  sunlight. 
The  northern  point  of  the  Oquirrh  Range  here 
comes  close  to  the  lake,  and  what  seems  to  be  a 
few  scattering  trees,  or  groves  of  trees,  high  up 
on  the  mountain,  contain  millions  of  feet  of  pine 


LIONS  HMAD  BOCK.— GREAT  SALT   LAKE. 


lumber,  if  it  could  only  be  made  available. 
Right  under  "  Observation  Point,"  on  the  very 
edge  of  the  lake  shore  stands  a  stone  house, 
formerly  kept  as  a  hotel  for  pleasure  seekers,  but 
now  the  private  property  of  John  W.  Young, 
Esq.  Whoever  occupies  it  hereafter,  can  very 
nearly  be  "  rocked  in  the  cradle  of  the  deep,"  or, 
at  least,  be  lulled  to  sleep  by  the  murmur  of  the 
restless  waves.  Standing  upon  "  Observation 
Point,"  before  you,  a  little  to  the  left,  rises  the 
rock  from  which  the  station  is  named ;  beyond 
and  to  the  left  still,  Kimball's  Island  rises  out  of 
the  sea  twenty-two  miles  away ;  while  off  to  the 

right  is  Church 
Island,  14  miles 
away  :  they  do 
not  look  half  the 
distance,  but 
the  rarified  at- 
mosphere  of 
these  elevated 
portions  of  the 
Continent  is 
very  deceptive 
as  regards  vision 
and  distance. 
P  r  omontory 
Point  on  the 
north  shore 
of  the  lake  is 
also  visible  at  a 
distance  of 
about  eighty 
miles. 

Lake  Point, 
— 20  miles  from 
the  city  is  the 
next  station  and 
the  great  resort 
for  excursion 
parties  and  tour- 
ists in  the  sum- 
mer. Near  this 
station  is  "  Gi- 
ant's Cave"  from 
which  stalactites 
may  be  obtain- 
ed, and  other 
relics,  said  to  be 
remains  of  Indians  who  were  conquered  and 
penned  in  until  they  died.  A  personal  exam- 
ination will  satisfy  the  tourist  as  to  the  proba- 
ble truth  of  this  tradition.  The  company  has  a 
large  hotel  at  Lake  Point  containing  35  rooms 
for  guests,  besides  other  necessary  appurtenances 
to  a  good  hotel.  A  wharf  has  been  built  into 
the  lake,  beside  which,  when  not  employed,  the 
stern  wheel  steamer,  "  General  Garfield,"  is 
moored.  This  steamer  is  employed  for  excur- 
sion parties  and  for  transporting  ore  from  the 
islands,  and  the  west  side  of  the  lake,  to  the 
railroad.  A  bathing-house  has  been  erected  on 


150 


the  wharf,  where  conveniences  for  a  salt  water 
bath  are  kept.  The  waters  of  the  lake  are  very 
dense,  and  it  is  almost  impossible  for  bathers  to 
sink.  In  former  times  three  barrels  of  water 
would  make  by  evaporation,  one  barrel  of  salt ; 
now  four  barrels  of  water  are  required  to  effect 
the  same  result.  A  company  has  been  organized 
in  Salt  Lake  City,  to  manufacture  salt  from  the 
waters  of  this  lake  near  Millstone  Point,  and 
vats  are  to  be  erected  the  present  year.  An  ex- 
cellent quality  can  be  made  and  sacked — ready 
for  market  for  f  4.50  per  ton. 

Half- Way  House, — 25  miles  from  Salt 
Lake  City,  and  Grantville  37  miles  are  the 
next  stations  and  termini  of  the  road.  Grant- 
ville is  one  of  the  richest  agricultural  towns 
of  Utah.  Stages  leave  here  •  for  the  mining 
camps  on  the  western  slope  of  the  mount- 
ains, and  a  large  amount  of  freighting  is  done 
with  teams  to  and  from  the  mines.  The  sta- 
tion will  lose  its  importance  as  soon  as  the 
road  passes  beyond  it.  There  are  large  springs 
of  fresh  water  near  the  station,  which  sup- 
ply a  flouring  mill  and  woolen  factory  with 
power.  On  the  left  side  of  the  track,  before  you 
reach  the  station,  is  "  E.  T.  City  " — the  initials 
being  those  of  E.  T.  Benson,  who  was  interested 
in  the  town.  It  is  simply  a  settlement  of  Mor- 
mon farmers,  nestled  under  the  mountains.  The 
woolen  factory  alluded  to  is  a  long,  low  stone 
structure,  with  approved  modern  machinery, 
about  one  and  three-fourths  miles  from  the  sta- 
tion, north  of  the  track.  This  route  must  prove 
very  attractive  to  travelers,  and  one  which  will 
amply  reward  them  in  the  pleasures  it  will 
afford.  The  rich  mining  districts  of  Rush  Val- 
ley, Ophir  and  others,  are  reached  by  this  line 
of  road.  The  Hidden  Treasure  and  other  mines 
in  these  districts  have  already  acquired  a  repu- 
tation and  standing  among  the  first  mines  in  the 
country. 

Social  Life  Among  the  Mormons. — Be- 
yond the  limits  of  Salt  Lake  City  the  uniform 
character  of  Mormon  families  is  of  exceeding 
plain  ways  of  living,  almost  all  being  of  very 
modest  means,  and  even  poor.  What  the  better 
families  have  gained  has  been  by  the  hardest 
and  most  persistent  labor.  It  is  said  that  when 
the  city  was  first  settled,  there  was  not  found 
over  $1,000  in  cash  for  the  whole  community, 
and  for  a  long  series  of  years  thereafter  money 
was  little  used,  and  the  people  lived  and  paid  for 
their  wants  by  barter,  and  a  writer  facetiously 
says  :  "  A  farmer  wishes  to  purchase  a  pair  of 
shoes  for  his  wife.  He  consults  the  shoemaker, 
who  avers  his  willingness  to  furnish  the  same  for 
one  load  of  wood.  He  has  no  wood,  but  sells  a 
calf  for  a  quantity  of  adobes,  the  adobes  for  an 
order  on  the  merchant,  payable  in  goods,  and  the 
goods  and  the  order  for  a  load  of  wood,  and 
straightway  the  matron  is  shod. 

"  Seven  water-melons  purchased  the  price  of  a 


ticket  of  admission  to  the  theater.  He  paid  for 
the  tuition  of  his  children,  seventy-five  cabbages 
per  quarter.  The  dressmaker  received  for  her 
services,  four  squashes  per  day.  He  settled  his 
church  dues  in  sorghum  molasses.  Two  loads  of 
pumpkins  paid  his  annual  subscription  to  the 
newspaper.  He  bought  a  '  Treatise  on  Celestial 
Marriage '  for  a  load  of  gravel,  and  a  bottle  of 
soothing  syrup  for  the  baby,  with  a  bushel  of 
string  beans." 

In  this  way,  before  the  advent  of  the  railroad, 
fully  nine-tenths  of  the  business  of  the  Mormon 
people  was  conducted.  Now  barter  has  given 
place  to  actual  circulation  of  money. 

While  there  is  not  what  may  be  called  dis- 
tress or  abject  poverty  in  any  part  of  the  Mor- 
mon settlements,  yet  with  many,  especially  the 
new  emigrants,  their  means  are  so  limited,  and 
the  labor  so  hard,  it  would  be  exceedingly  dis- 
couraging to  exist,  but  for  the  grand  conjidence 
all  have  in  the  joys  to  come  promised  by  their 
religion  and  their  leader. 

Except  in  the  cities  there  is  little  or  no  form 
of  amusement,  and  the  Sabbath  is  mainly  the 
great  day  of  reunion,  when  the  population  turn 
out  en  masse  to  the  Tabernacle  or  other  places  of 
worship. 

In  the  church  services  no  one  knows,  until  the 
speaker  arises,  who  is  to  preach  from  the  pulpit, 
or  what  may  be  the  subject. 

The  subjects  of  sermons,  addresses  and  exhor- 
tations are  as  wide  as  there  are  books.  A  writer 
has  laughingly  said  :  "  In  the  Great  Tabernacle, 
one  will  hear  sermons,  or  advice  on  the  culture  of 
sorghum,  upon  infant  baptism,  upon  the  best 
manure  for  cabbages,  upon  the  perseverance  of 
the  Saints,  upon  the  wickedness  of  skimming 
milk  before  its  sale,  upon  the  best  method  of 
cleaning  water  ditches,  upon  bed-bug  poison, 
upon  the  price  of  real  estate,  upon  teething  in 
children,  upon  the  martyrs  and  persecutions  of 
the  Church,  terrible  denunciations  of  Gentiles 
and  the  enemies  of  the  Mormons,  upon  olive  oil 
as  a  cure  for  measles,  upon  the  ordination  of  the 
priesthood,  upon  the  character  of  Melchisedec, 
upon  worms  in  dried  peaches,  upon  abstinence 
from  plug  tobacco,  upon  the  crime  of  foeticide, 
upon  chignons,  twenty-five-yard  dresses,  upon 
plural  marriages,  etc." 

Portions  of  this  are  doubtless  the  extrava- 
gance of  humor,  yet  it  is  true  every  possible 
thing,  secular  or  spiritual,  is  discussed  from  the 
pulpit  which  the  president  thinks  necessary,  for 
the  instruction  of  the  flock.  We  attended  per- 
sonally one  Sunday  a  Sunday-school  celebration 
in  the  Tabernacle,  where  the  exercises  were  en- 
livened with  a  spirited  delivery  of  "  Marco  Boz- 
arris"  "  Gay  Young  Lochinvar,"  the  singing  of 
"  Home,  Sweet  Home,"  and  the  gallery  fronts 
were  decorated  with  gay  mottoes,  of  which  there 
shone  in  great  prominence,  "  Utah's  best  crop, 
children" 


REPRESENTATIVE  MORMONS. 

J.—W.  Woodruff.    2.— John  Taylor.    3.— Mayor  Daniel  H.  Wells.    4.— W.  H.  Hooper.    5.— President  Brigham  Young. 
6.— Orson  Pratt.    7.— John  Sharp.    8.— George  Q.  Cannon.    9.— Orson  Hyde. 


152 


The  city  Mormons  are  fond  of  the  theater  and 
dancing,  and  as  their  president  is  both  the  owner 
of  the  theater  and  its  largest  patron,  the  Saints 
consider  his  example  highly  judicious  and  ex- 
emplary, so  the  theater  is  crowded  on  all  occa- 
sions. We  were  present,  on  one  occasion,  in  1869, 
when  we  witnessed  over  thirty  of  the  children  of 
one  of  the  Mormons  sitting  in  a  row  in  the 
dress  circle,  and  the  private  boxes  filled  with  his 
wives.  The  most  striking  event  of  the  evening 
was  when  one  of  the  theatrical  performers  sung 
this  ditty : 

"  If  Jim  Fisk's  rat-and-tan,  should  have  a  hull-dog  pup, 
Do  you  think  Louis  Napoleon  would  try  to  bring  him  up  ?  " 

This  elicited  tremendous  applause,  and  the  per- 
formers, much  to  their  own  laughter  and  aston- 
ishment, had  to  repeat  it. 

A  few  years  afterward,  in  witnessing  a  large 
body  of  Mormon  children  singing  their  school 
songs — we  noticed  the  end  of  one  of  their  little 
verses : 

"  Oh,  how  happy  I  ought  to  he, 
For,  daddy,  I'm  a  Mormon." 

As  justifying  their  amusements,  the  Saints 
thus  say,  through  one  of  their  authorities  : 

"  Dancing  is  a  diversion  for  which  all  men  and 
women  have  a  natural  fondness." 

Dancing  parties  in  the  city  are,  therefore,  quite 
frequent,  and  the  most  religious  man  is  best  en- 
titled to  the  biggest  amount  of  fun.  Hence 
their  religion  should  never  be  dull. 

"  As  all  people  have  a  fondness  for  dramatic 
representations,  it  is  well  to  so  regulate  and  gov- 
ern such  exhibitions,  that  they  may  be  instructive 
and  purifying  in  their  tendencies.  If  the  best 
people  absent  themselves,  the  worst  will  dictate 
the  character  of  the  exercises." 

Therefore  every  good  Mormon,  who  can  get  a 
little  money,  indulges  in  the  theater. 

The  Religion,  of  the  Mormons. — It  is 
not  the  purpose  of  this  Guide  to  express  opin- 
ions of  the  religious  aspect  of  Mormonism ;  but, 
as  all  visitors  who  come  from  the  East,  seeking 
either  from  curiosity  to  gain  reliable  information, 
or,  having  prejudices,  expect  to  gratify  them 
with  outbursts  of  indignation,  we  can  only  stand 
aloof,  and  explain,  calmly  and  candidly,  a  few 
facts  as  we  have  found  them  by  actual  contact 
and  experience  with  both  Mormons  and  Gen- 
tiles, and  leave  each  reader  to  judge  for  himself 
the  merits  of  this  vexed  question. 

So  thoroughly  and  implicitly  have  the  masses 
of  the  Mormon  people  been  led  by  their  leader, 
that  no  one  must  be  surprised  to  find  that  they 
are  firm  believers  and  obedient  servants  to  all 
the  doctrines  and  orders  of  the  Church.  They  be- 
lieve just  as  they  are  told. 

Whatever,  therefore,  there  is  in  their  life, 
character  and  business,  industry  and  enterprise, 
that  is  good  and  praiseworthy,  to  Brigham  Young, 
their  leader,  belongs  the  ci-edit.  But  for  what- 
ever there  is  wicked  in  their  religion,  life,  faith, 


deeds  and  church  work — and  for  whatever  is 
lacking  in  good,  to  the  same  powerful  mind  and 
willful  hand,  belongs  the  fearful  responsibility. 

Whether  Mormonism  be  a  religion  or  not — 
yet  candor  must  confess,  that  if  it  fails  to  give 
and  preserve  peace,  contentment,  purity ;  if  it 
makes  its  followers  ignorant,  brutal,  supersti- 
tious, jealous,  abusive,  defiant ;  if  it  lack  gen- 
tleness, meekness,  kindness,  courtesy ;  if  it  brings 
to  its  homes,  sadness  and  discontent,  it  cannot  be 
that  true  religion,  which  exists  alone  by  sincere 
trust  in  Christ  and  love  for  heaven.  If  in  all  its 
doctrines,  services,  sermons,  prayers,  praise  and 
church  work,  it  fails  to  give  the  soul  that  seeks 
after  rest,  the  refreshing,  comforting  peace  it 
needs,  it  cannot  be  everlasting. 

Mormonism  has  accomplished  much  in  in- 
dustry, and  perseverance,  in  reclaiming  Utah's 
waste  lands  and  barren  plains.  It  has  opened  a 
country,  which  now  is  teeming  with  riches  inex- 
haustible and  untold  wealth  is  coming  to  a 
scene,  once  the  very  type  of  desolation.  We 
give  to  the  Mormons  every  worthy  praise  for 
their  frugality,  temperance  and  hard  labor.  No 
other  class  of  people  would  have  settled  here. 
By  patience  they  have  reclaimed  a  desert, — peo- 
pled a  waste,  developed  hidden  treasures,  have 
grown  in  thrift,  and  their  lives  bear  witness  to 
their  forbearance,  and  complete  trust  and  faith. 

How  The  Mormon  Church  Influences 
Visitors. — The  system  of  polygamy  is  not  the 
only  great  question  which  affects  the  future  of 
Utah.  More  than  all  things  else,  it  is  the  Power 
of  the  Rulers  of  the  Mormon  Church.  It  is  natural 
that  they  should  make  efforts  to  maintain  it  by 
every  use  of  power;  gentleness  if  that  will  do  the 
work,  coercion  if  not. 

It  is  unfortunate  that  in  the  spiritual  services 
.of  the  Church,  they  fail  to  impress  visitors  with 
proper  respect.  Their  sermons,  all  eastern 
travelers  have  uniformly  admitted,  were  remark- 
able in  the  absence  of  spiritual  power.  The 
simple  truths  of  the  Gospel  rarely  ever  are  dis- 
cussed, the  life  of  Christ,  the  Gospel  of  the  New 
Testament,  the  "  Sermon  on  the  Mount  " — the 
Cross  are  all  ignored, — the  Psalms  of  David,  the 
life  of  Daniel,  Solomon,  and  the  work  of  the 
twelve  Apostles  are  rarely  referred  to;  instead, 
visitors  are  compelled  to  listen  to  long  argu- 
ments justifying  Mormonism  and  plural  mar- 
riage, and  expressions  of  detestation  for  their 
enemies. 

We  heard  three  of  the  elders  talk  at  one  of 
their  Sabbath  meetings,  during  which  the  name 
of  Jesus  Christ  as  the  Saviour  of  the  world,  was 
scarcely  mentioned.  One  talked  of  the  wonder- 
ful conversion  as  he  claimed,  and  baptism  of 
some  Lamanites  (Indians),  not  one  of  whom  to- 
day, can  give  a  single  intelligent  reason  for  the 
course  he  has  adopted.  Another  told  of  the 
time  he  was  a  local  preacher  in  the  East,  of  the 
Methodist  Church,  and  of  the  trials  and  persecu- 


153 


tion  they  had  endured  there.  The  third  was 
quite  belligerent  in  tone,  and  gave  utterance  to 
what  might  possibly  be  interpreted  as  treasonable 
sentiments  against  the  government  of  the  United 
States.  In  the  meantime  the  audience  accepted 
all  that  was  said  with  apparent  relish.  We 
thought  of  the  saying  of  one  of  the  popular 
humorists  of  the  day,  to  the  effect  that  "  if  that 
kind  of  preaching  suits  that  kind  of  people,  it  is 
just  the  kind  of  preaching  that  kind  of  people 
likes."  Their  preachers  will  often  take  a  text 
from  the  sayings  of  the  prophets,  and  give  it  a 
literal  interpretation  that  would  grate  harshly 
upon  orthodox  ears,  while  the  listener  would  be 
amused  at  the  ingenuity  displayed  in  twist- 
ing the  word  of  God — making  it  mean  anything 
desired. 

It  is  exceedingly  unfortunate  for  the  cause  of 
the  Mormons,  that  such  exhibitions  of  nature 
are  made,  the  only  result  of  which  is  to  increase 
the  prejudice  of  all  visitors,  and  tend  to  grad- 
ually change  the  minds  of  those  who  would 
gladly  be  cordial,  but  feel  they  can  not.  We 
speak  in  candor;  the  efficacy  of  a  religion  is 
judged  by  its  purity  of  life  and  speech.  A  true 
religion  wins  admiration  from  even  its  enemies. 
But  Mor monism  seems  never  to  have  made  a 
friend  of  an  enemy,  and  only  returns  even 
deeper  resentment. 

A  religion  which  does  not  do  as  Christ  com- 
manded, "  Pray  fir  them  which  persecute  you, 
bless  and  curse  not," — but  treasures  its  resent- 
ments and  fulminates  its  curses  continually — can 
it  be  any  religion  at  all  ? 

Inconsistencies.  —  Another  circumstance, 
one  very  unfortunate  for  the  Mormons,  and  al- 
ways noticed  by  strangers,  is  the  inconsistency 
of  their  history. 

In  the  original  revelation  to  Joseph  Smith, 
there  was  not  only  no  mention  of  polygamy,  but 
in  the  Book  of  Mormon,  such  a  practice  was 
fiercely  denounced.  In  the  second  chapter  of  the 
Book  of  Mormon,  there  originally  appeared  this 
warning  to  the  Nephites : 

"  Wherefore,  hearken  unto  the  word  of  the  Lord, 
for  there  shall  not  any  man  among  you  have  save  it 
be  one  wife ;  and  concubines  he  shall  have  none ; 
for  I  the  Lord  God,  delighteth  in  the  chastity  of 
woman." 

The  following  comments  and  arguments  based 
on  the  above,  seem  absolutely  necessary,  and  im- 
possible for  any  one  to  controvert : 

1.  If  Joseph  Smith  wrote  this  under  the  inspira- 
tion of  the  Holy  Spirit,  then  present  Mormon  prac- 
tices and  doctrines,  being  wholly  different,  are  not 
true  nor  worthy  of  confidence. 

2.  If  Joseph  Smith  did  not  write  this  under  the 
inspiration  of  the  Almighty,  then  Joseph  Smith  did 
not  receive  a  true  revelation,  was  not  a  true  Prophet, 
and  what  he  has  written  has  been  entirely  unworthy 
the  confidence  of  his  people. 

3.  If  Mormonism  since  then  has  found  a  new 


revelation  totally  opposed  to  the  first,  then  the  first 
must  have  been  false. 

4.  If  the  first  revelation   was  false,  then   the 
Book  of  Mormon  is  wholly  false  and  unreliable,  and 
Joseph  Smith  was  an  impostor. 

5.  If  the  first  revelation  was  true,  then  (as  the 
decrees  of  the  Almighty  once  given,  never  change), 
the  second  revelation  is  not   true,  nor  ever  was  in- 
spired by  God. 

6.  As  History  proves  that  Joseph  Smith  received 
and  promulgated  both  the  first  and  second  revela- 
tions— as  one  of  these  must  be  false — as  no  Prophet 
could  ever  be  falsely  led,  if  instructed  by  the  Al- 
mighty— it  follows  that  Joseph  Smith  never  received 
a  true  inspiration,   was  not  a  true   Prophet — that 
Mormonism  is  not  a  revealed  religion. 

Another  inconsistency,  fatal  to  the  claims  of 
the  Mormon  religion,  is  the  curious  act  of  Joseph 
Smith  at  Nauvoo.  On  the  12th  of  July,  1843, 
Smith  received  the  new  revelation.  When  it 
was  first  mentioned,  it  caused  great  commotion, 
and  many  rebelled  against  it.  A  few  elders  at- 
tempted to  promulgate  it,  but  so  fierce  was  the 
opposition  that  at  last,  for  peace,  Smith  officially 
made  public  proclamation  against  it  in  the 
Church  paper  as  follows  : 

NOTICE. — As  we  have  lately  been  credibly  informed  that 
an  elder  of  the  Church  of  Jesus  Christ  of  Latter  Day 
Saints,  by  the  name  of  Hiram  Brown  has  been  preaching 
polygamy  and  other  false  and  corrupt  doctrines  in  the 
County  of  Lapeer  and  State  of  Michigan, 

This  is  to  notify  him,  and  the  Church  in  general,  that  he 
has  been  cut  off  from  the  Church  for  his  iniquity,  and  he  is 
further  notified  to  appear  at  the  special  conference  on  the 
6th  of  April  next,  to  make  answer  to  these  charges. 

JOSEPH  SMITH,  I   president<i  of  the  CJmrch 
HYRUM  SMITH,  }  f 

QUERY. —  What  is  the  world  to  think  of  a 
religion,  or  a  people,  when  their  Prophet  falsifies 
his  own  record,  and  denies  his  own  revela- 
tion ? 

Subsequent  history  shows  that  in  less  than 
three  years  from  the  publication  of  the  above 
notice,  the  Mormon  leaders  were  living  in  open 
and  undisguised  polygamy. 

Would  a  Prophet  who  ever  received  a  true  revela- 
tion deny  it,  punish  his  followers  for  observing  it,  and 
then  practice  it  for  himself  f 

How  appropriately  the  answer  is  given  to  this 
question  when  one  takes  up  the  Mormon  Hymn 
Book,  and  finds  among  its  verses,  used  in  their 
church  services,  the  following  leading  lines  : 

The  God  that  others  worship  is  not  the  God  for  me." 
A  church  without  a  Prophet  is  not  the  church  for  me." 
A  church  without  Apostles  is  not  the  church  for  me." 
The  hope  that  Gentiles  cherish  is  not  the  hope  for  me." 
It  has  no  faith  nor  knowledge ;  far  from  it  I  would  be." 
The  heaven  of  sectarians  is  not  the  heaven  for  me." 

Mormon  Courtesies. — The  leading  mem- 
bers of  the  Mormon  Church  we  met  during  our 
stay,  were  gentlemen,  treated  us  very  courteously, 
and  apparently  offered  us  every  facility  for  ob- 
taining information,  and  they  will  treat  all 
strangers  in  the  same  way.  We  feel  under 


154 


tn        0 
*        * 


w    S 

M 


155 


especial  obligation  to  many  of  them  for  their 
kindness  and  courtesy.  And  we  are  greatly 
mistaken  if  they  do  not  respect  any  one  for  a 
free,  manly  and  frank  expression  of  opinion 
concerning  them  and  their  institutions,  more 
than  they  would  a  fawning  sycophant,  or  gush- 
ing twaddler  in  reference  to  the  course  they  have 
chosen  to  follow,  or  the  work  they  have  done. 
Neither  their  institutions  nor  their  practices  are 
thrust  into  the  faces  of  travelers.  If  knowledge 
concerning  them  or  their  customs  is  desired,  it 
must  be  sought  after.  They  have  a  special  hos- 
tility for  those  whom  they  call  apostates,  and 
though  a,  man  may  be  moral  and  upright  in  his 
life  before  he  leaves  their  church,  he  is  nothing 
but  concentrated  meanness  afterwards.  His 
course  of  life  may  not  be  changed  in  the  least, 
and  the  fact  that  he  is  just  as  honorable  and  up- 
right as  before  is  of  no  consequence.  Godbe, 
Lawrence,  Harrison  and  others,  all  pure  men  in 
private  life,  become,  according  to  Mormon  ac- 
count, the  princes  of  liars  and  scoundrels  as 
soon  as  they  leave  the  church.  In  fact,  to  attack 
and  destroy  an  apostate's  character  is  their  favor- 
ite, and  hitherto  most  successful  mode  of  de- 
stroying his  influence.  In  this  respect  the  Mor- 
mons can  not  tolerate  freedom  of  opinion.  They 
would  much  prefer  open  attacks  by  Gentiles  than 
the  more  vital  thrusts  of  apostates. 

The  Great  Salt  Lake. 

In  many  respects  this  is  the  most  wonderful 
body  of  water  on  the  American  Continent.  It  is 
the  chief  object  of  interest  in  the  physical  geog- 
raphy of  the  great  basin  in  which  it  is  located. 
Its  waters  are  saline  and  brackish,  unfit  for  use, 
and  uninhabited  by  representatives  of  the  finny 
tribes. 

Its  Discovery. — In  his  report  on  this  lake, 
Captain  Stansbury  speaks  of  a  French  explorer, 
with  an  unpronounceable  name,  who  left  the  west- 
ern shores  of  the  great  lakes  sometime  in  the 
seventeenth  century,  and  proceeded  westward  for 
an  undefined  period,  and  made  extensive  discov- 
eries on  the  Mississippi,  Missouri,  and  other 
western  rivers,  and  either  saw,  or  heard  from  the 
Indians,  of  the  Great  Salt  Lake.  His  accounts, 
however,  are  somewhat  mixed,  and  not  at  all  sat- 
isfactory. It  is  reported  that  John  Jacob  Astor 
fitted  out  an  expedition,  in  1820,  to  cross  the 
Continent,  meet  a  vessel  he  had  sent  round  Cape 
Horn,  and  at  some  point  on  the  Pacific  Coast, 
form  a  town  which  should  be  to  it  what  New 
York  was  to  the  Atlantic  Coast,  the  greatest 
commercial  emporium  of  that  part  of  the  country. 
This  expedition,  it  is  said,  crossed  the  Rocky 
Mountains,  near  Fremont's  Peak  in  the  Wind 
River  Range,  and  after  reaching  the  Tetons  sep- 
arated into  small  parties,  each  one  exploring  on 
its  own  account.  One  of  these,  consisting  of 
four  men  and  commanded  by  a  Mr.  Miller, 
hunted  around  the  vicinity  of  Snake  River  and 


the  Soda  Springs,  finally  crossing  into  Cache 
Valley,  a  little  north-west  of  Corinne.  It  is  fur- 
ther reported  that  Miller,  in  one  of  his  rambles, 
ascended  the  mountains  south  of  this  valley,  and 
here,  for  the  first  time,  beheld  the  waters  of  the 
great  inland  sea  spread  out  before  him.  He  re- 
turned to  his  party,  and  with  them  proceeded  to 
the  lake,  and  on  further  inspection  concluded  it 
was  an  arm  of  the  ocean.  This  was  its  first  dis- 
covery by  white  men.  The  next  recorded  visita- 
tion is  that  of  John  Bedyer,  in  1825,  and  the 
next  was  by  Captain  Bonneville,  in  1831,  who 
saw  it  from  the  Red  Buttes  in  the  Wahsatch 
Range,  and  whose  account  was  written  up  by 
Washington  Irving.  In  1832,  Captain  Walker 
first  attempted  to  explore  it  with  a  party  of  forty 
men.  He  traveled  around  the  northern  and 
western  boundaries,  but  was  compelled  to  aban- 
don the  undertaking  for  want  of  water  for  his 
animals  and  men.  Captain  Stansbury  after- 
wards explored  it,  and  his  report  contains  the 
only  reliable  information  concerning  this  re- 
markable lake  that  has  been  published  from 
official  sources,  though  subsequent  observation 
has  revealed  many  facts  and  phenomenon  con- 
cerning it  which  would  be  highly  interesting  if 
they  could  be  collected  and  given  to  the  world  in 
tangible  form.  General  Fremont  also  visited 
this  lake,  and  has  given  some  information  about 
it. 

Analysis. — The  only  analysis  of  its  waters 
that  we  have  been  able  to  obtain  is  that  given 
by  Dr.  Gale  and  recorded  in  Captain  Stansbury's 
report.  We  quote :  "  It  gives  the  specific  gravity, 
1.170;  solid  contents,  22.422  out  of  100  parts. 
The  solid  contents  when  analyzed  gave  the  fol- 
lowing components : 


Chloride  of  sodium, 
Sulphate  of  soda, 
Chloride  of  magnesium, 
Chloride  of  Calcium,  a  trace. 


Loss, 


20.196 
1.834 
0.252 


22.282 
0.140 


22.422 


A  remarkable  thing  about  this  analysis  is  that 
the  specific  gravity,  as  here  given,  corresponds 
exactly  with  the  mean  of  eight  different  analyses 
of  the  waters  of  the  Dead  Sea  of  Palestine,  which 
is  largely  above  that  of  the  water  of  the  ocean. 
This  analysis  reveals  what  is  now  generally 
known,  that  here  is  a  source  from  which  salt 
enough  can  be  obtained  to  supply  the  Continent. 
When  it  is  considered,  however,  that  all  the 
streams  flowing  into  this  lake  are  fresh  water, 
draining  the  water-shed  of  a  large  area  of 
country,  and  discharging  from  the  springs,  melt- 
ing snows  and  rains  of  the  great  basin,  an  im- 
mense volume  of  water,  the  puzzling  question 
very  naturally  arises  as  to  the  source  of  this 
abundant  supply  of  saline  matter.  The  various 
saline  incrustations,  however,  at  various  points 
on  the  surrounding  shores,  indicate  clearly  that 


156 


some  portion  of  the  earth  is  saturated  with  this 
ingredient.  Still  this  lake  is  without  any  visi- 
ble outlet,  and  with  all  the  great  influx  of  fresh 
water,  annually,  why  does  it  remain  so  salty? 
The  inference  naturally  follows  that  it  washes 
some  vast  bed  of  rock  salt  or  saline  deposit  in 
the  bottom  of  the  lake,  hitherto  undiscovered. 
Without  facts,  however,  even  this  is  a  supposi- 
tion which  may  or  may  not  be  true.  The  shores 
of  this  lake,  especially  toward  the  city  bearing 
the  same  name,  have  now  been  settled  nearly 
thirty  years,  and  it  would  be  strange  indeed  if 
the  changes  which  have  been  gradually  going 
on  in  this  lake  should  not  have  been  noticed. 
The  elevation  of  the  lake  is  given  at  4,200  feet 
above  the  level  of  the  sea.  The  elevation  of 
Salt  Lake  City  is  given  at  4,351  feet  above  the 
sea — difference  of  151  feet.  The  figures  here 
given  as  the  elevation  of  the  lake,  we  think,  are 
based  upon  observations  and  calculations  made 
several  years  ago,  perhaps  by  Captain  Stansbury. 
The  observation  of  the  old  settlers  is,  that  it  is 
not  correct — that  the  lake  is  from  ten  to  fifteen 
feet  higher  now  than  it  was  in  1850,  and  that  in 
proportion  as  the  water  rises  it  becomes  less 
salty.  Reliable  citizens  have  informed  us  that 
in  1850,  three  barrels  of  water  evaporated  would 
make  one  of  salt ;  now,  four  barrels  of  water  are 
required  for  the  same  result.  This  fact  leads  to 
the  opinion  that  the  humidity  of  the  atmosphere 
in  this  region  of  the  Continent  is  increasing — in 
consequence  of  which  there  is  less  evaporation — 
evaporation  being  greater  and  more  rapid  in  a 
dry  than  in  a  moist  atmosphere — and  the  failure 
of  evaporation  to  take  up  the  surplus  waters  dis- 
charged into  this  lake  has  not  only  increased  its 
volume  and  extent,  but  lessened  its  saline 
character.  Since  the  settlement  of  this  Terri- 
tory, there  has  been  a  great  increase  of  rain-fall, 
so  much  so  that  it  is  noticed  and  remarked  upon 
by  very  many  of  the  inhabitants,  and  the  belief 
is  very  generally  entertained  that  the  Territory  is 
gradually  undergoing  a  great  climatic  change. 

Speculations  as  to  the  Result. — The 
evaporation  of  the  water  in  the  lake  growing 
gradually  less,  it  will,  of  course,  continue  to 
rise  and  overflow  its  banks  in  the  lowest  places, 
but  no  fears  need  be  entertained  for  the  safety 
of  any  considerable  portion  of  the  country,  or 
the  inhabitants  thereof.  Notice  the  elevation  of 
Salt  Lake  City,  as  herein  given,  being  about  151 
feet  greater  than  the  lake  itself.  If  the  rise 
continues  it  will  be  slower  as  the  covered  surface 
of  the  adjoining  land  becomes  greater,  on  the 
principle  that  the  larger  end  of  a  vessel  fills  more 
slowly  with  the  same  stream,  than  the  smaller 
end.  If  it  reaches  a  height  of  15  or  20  feet 
above  its  present  surface,  it  will  fii-st  overflow  a 
low,  sandy  and  alkali  desert  on  its  western  shore, 
nearly  as  large  as  the  lake  itself.  In  this  case, 
its  evaporating  capacity  will  be  nearly  doubled 
in  extent — a  fact  which  will  operate  to  retard 


its  rise.  But  if  it  continues  to  rise  in  the  years 
to  come  until  it  must  have  an  outlet  to  the  ocean, 
that  outlet  will  be  the  Humboldt  River,  and  a 
cut  of  100  feet  or  less  in  the  low  hills  of  the  di- 
vide, will  give  it.  When,  however,  this  event 
transpires,  it  will  be — unless  some  convulsion  of 
nature  intervenes  to  hasten  it — after  the  last 
reader  of  this  book  shall  have  finished  his  earthly 
labors  and  been  quietly  laid  away  to  rest. 

Boundaries  and  Extent. — Looking  from 
Observation  Point  at  the  south  end  of  the  lake, 
to  the  north,  it  seems  to  be  pretty  well  di- 
vided. Promontory  Mountains  on  Antelope 
Island,  those  on  Stansbury  Island  and  Oquirrh 
Mountains  are  evidently  parts  of  the  same 
range — running  from  north  to  south,  parallel 
with  the  Wahsatch  Range.  Their  continuity  is 
only  broken  by  the  waters  in  the  lake  or  sink  of 
the  great  basin.  Promontory  Mountains  divide 
the  northern  end  of  the  lake  into  two  parts,  or 
arms,  the  eastern  being  called  Bear  River  Bay, 
and  the  western,  Spring  Bay— the  latter  being 
considerably  the  largest.  The  lake  has  numerous 
islands,  both  large  and  small.  Fremont  Island 
lies  due  west  of  the  mouth  of  Weber  River,  and 
is  plainly  visible  from  the  cars  of  the  Utah  Cen- 
tral Railroad.  South  of  it  and  nearest  to  Salt 
Lake  City,  is  Antelope  Island.  West  of  Ante- 
lope, and  north-west  from  Lake  Point,  is  Stans- 
bury Island.  A  little  north-west  of  this,  is  Car- 
rington  Island.  North  of  these  still,  and  in  the 
western  part  of  the  lake  are  Hat,  Gunnison  and 
Dolphin  Islands.  Nearly  south  of  Gunnison 
Island  is  a  high  promontory  jutting  out  into  the 
lake  called  Strong's  Knob  ;  it  is  a  prominent 
landmark  on  the  western  shore  of  the  lake. 
Travelers  on  the  Central  Pacific  Road  can  ob- 
tain a  fine  view  of  this  great  inland  sea,  near 
Monument  Station.  The  extreme  length  of  the 
lake  is  about  80  miles,  and  its  extreme  width,  a 
little  south  of  the  41st  parallel  of  latitude,  is 
about  50  miles.  Promontory  Mountains  project 
into  the  lake  from  the  north  about  30  miles. 
Nearly  all  the  islands  we  have  named  are  rich  in 
minerals,  such  as  copper,  silver,  gold  and  iron. 
Excellent  quarries  of  slate  have  also  been  opened, 
but  neither  it  nor  the  mines  have  been  developed 
to  any  great  extent,  because  of  the  want  of  cap- 
ital. 

Incidents  and  Curiosities. — When  Col- 
onel Fremont  first  explored  the  lake  in  1843,  it 
is  related  by  Jessie,  his  wife,  that  when  his  boat 
first  touched  the  shore  of  Fremont  Island,  an 
oarsman  in  the  bow  of  the  boat  was  about  to 
jump  ashore,  when  Kit  Carson,  the  guide,  insisted 
that  Colonel  Fremont  should  first  land  and 
name  the  island, — "  Fremont  Island." 

Tonic  Properties. — A  bath  in  the  water 
of  the  Great  Salt  Lake,  is  one  of  the  greatest 
delights  a  tourist  can  seek.  We  have  per- 
sonally indulged  in  its  pleasure,  and  it  is  beyond 
question  a  splendid  recreation.  Upon  the 


157 


wharf  near  Lake  Point,  is  a  cozy  bathing-house, 
wherein  are  bathing-suits,  and  large  tubs  filled 
with  fresh  water ;  donning  the  suits,  you  descend 
the  steps  and  jump  into  the  water.  You  are 
surprised  at  the  buoyancy  of  it.  The  most 
vigorous  effort  and  plunge  will  not  keep  your 
body  under  the  surface.  Clasping  your  hands 
and  feet  in  the  water,  you  can  sit  on  its  bosom 
with  head  and  shoulders  projecting  above  the 
surface, — and  even  then  for  but  a  short  period,  as 
the  buoyancy  of  the  water  soon  has  a  tendency  to 
tip  you  over  on  your  side.  It  is  impossible  to 
stand  erect  in  the  water,  no  matter  how  straight 
or  rigid  you  place  your  limbs, — in  a  moment 
over  goes  your  head,  and  up  come  your  feet. 
Lying  on  your  back,  or  side,  or  face,  in  any  position 
— still  you  will  always  keep  at  the  surface.  But 
beyond  this  curious  feature  of  impossibility  of 
sinking,  there  is  the  better  quality  of  the 
toning  and  invigorating  properties  of  the  bath. 
These  are  beyond  all  question,  the  finest  of  any 
spring  along  the  Overland  Route.  In  some 
warm  summer  day,  take  your  bath  in  the  lake, — 
spend,  say  half  an  hour  in  its  water,  and  then 
returning  to  your  bath-house,  cleanse  your  skin 
from  all  saline  material,  which  may  adhere,  by 
plentiful  ablutions  of  pure  water  from  the  tubs, 
wash  the  hair  and  face  thoroughly,  then  dress 
and  walk  up  and  down  the  wharf,  or  the  cool 
piazza  of  the  hotel, — ,and  you  are  astonished  at 
the  wonderful  amount  of  strength  and  invig- 
oration  given  to  your  system,  and  with  greater 
elasticity  than  ever  you  have  possessed  before,  it 
seems  like  the  commencement  of  a  new  life. 
Invalids  should  never  fail  to  visit  this  lake,  and 
enjoy  its  bath.  Tourists  who  omit  it, — will 
leave  behind  them  the  greatest  curiosity  of  the 
Overland  Tour,  and  it  is  no  great  effort  of  the 
imagination  to  conceive  this  fully  the  rival  of 
the  great  ocean  in  all  that  can  contribute  to  the 
attractions  of  sea-shore  life.  The  cool  breeze 
and  delicious  bath  are  all  here. 

In  the  summer  time  the  excursion  rates  from 
Salt  Lake  City,  are  $1.50  per  ticket,  which  in- 
cludes passage  both  ways  over  the  Utah  Western 
Railroad,  a  ride  on  the  steamer  on  the  lake,  and 
the  privilege  of  a  bath, — the  cheapest  and 
most  useful  enjoyment  in  the  entire  Territory. 

The  only  life  in  or  near  the  lake,  is  seen  in 
the  summer  time  by  immense  masses  of  little 
insects  (astemia  fertilise,)  which  live  on  the 
surface  of  the  lake,  and  thrive  on  its  brine. 
These  masses  stretch  out  in  curious  forms  over 
the  surface.  Sometimes,  when  small,  they  appear 
like  a  serpent,  at  other  times  like  rings,  globes, 
and  other  irregular  figures.  A  gentle  breeze 
will  never  disturb  them,  for  their  presence  keeps 
the  water  a  dead  calm  as  if  oil  had  been  poured 
upon  it.  If  disturbed  by  a  boat  passing  through 
the  mass,  millions  of  little  gnats  or  flies  arise 
and  swarm  all  over  the  vessel — anvthing  but 
agreeable.  Professor  Spencer  M.  Baird,  of  the 


Smithsonian  Institute,  Washington,  believes  the 
lake  may  yet  sustain  fish  and  other  animal  life. 
There  seems  to  be  plenty  of  insect  food  al- 
ways on  the  surface, — occasionally  with  high 
winds,  the  surface  of  the  lake  is  driven  into 
waves,  which  dashing  against  the  shore,  shower 
the  sage  brushes  near  with  salty  incrustations, 
which,  when  dried  in  the  sunlight,  give  a  bright, 
glittering  and  pearly  appearance,  often  furnish- 
ing splendid  specimens  for  mineral  cabinets. 

Atmosphere, — The  atmosphere  which  sur- 
rounds the  lake,  is  a  curiosity,  always  bluish  and 
hazy — from  the  effects  of  the  active  evaporation, 
— in  decided  contrast  to  the  purity  and  trans- 
parency of  the  air  elsewhere.  Surveyors  say 
that  it  is  difficult  to  use  telescopes,  and  astro- 
nomical observations  are  imperfect. 

The  solid  ingredients  of  the  water  have  six 
and  one-half  times  the  density  of  those  of  the 
ocean,  and  wherever  washed  upon  the  shore,  the 
salt  dried,  after  evaporation,  can  be  easily 
shoveled  up  into  buckets  and  bags. 

Burton  describes  a  beautiful  sunset  scene  upon 
the  lake.  "  We  turned  our  faces  eastward  as 
the  sun  was  declining.  The  view  had  memo- 
rable beauties.  From  the  blue  and  purple  clouds, 
gorgeously  edged  with  celestial  fire,  shot  up  a 
fan  of  penciled  and  colored  light,  extending  half- 
way to  the  zenith,  while  in  the  south  and  south- 
east lightnings  played  among  the  darker  mist 
masses,  which  backed  the  golden  and  emerald 
bench-lands  of  the  farther  valley.  The  splendid 
sunset  gave  a  reflex  of  its  loveliness  upon  the 
alkaline  barrens  around  us.  Opposite  rose  the 
Wahsatch  Mountains,  vast  and  voluminous,  in 
stern  and  gloomy  grandeur,  northward  the  thin 
white  vapors  rising  from  the  hot  springs,  and 
the  dark  swells  of  the  lake." 

The  Great  Desert  West  of  Salt  Lake 
City. — The  overland  stage,  which  traversed 
westward,  followed  a  route  immediately  south  of 
Salt  Lake,  and  passed  for  several  hundred  miles 
through  a  desert,  beside  which  the  Humboldt 
Valley  had  no  comparison  in  tediousness  and  dis- 
comfort. Captain  Stansbury,  an  early  explorer,  in 
describing  this  section,  describes  large  tracts  of 
land  covered  with  an  incrustation  of  salt : 

"  The  first  part  of  the  plains  consisted  simply 
of  dried  mud,  with  small  crystals  of  salt  scat- 
tered thickly  over  the  surface ;  crossing  this,  we 
came  upon  another  portion  of  it,  three  miles  in 
width,  where  the  ground  was  entirely  covered 
with  a  thin  layer  of  salt  in  a  state  of  deliques- 
cence, and  of  so  soft  consistence,  that  the  feet  of 
our  mules  sank  at  every  step  into  the  mud  be- 
neath. But  we  soon  came  upon  a  portion  of 
the  plains  where  the  salt  lay  in  a  solid  state,  in 
one  unbroken  sheet,  extending  apparently  to  its 
western  border.  So  firm  and  strong  was  this 
unique  and  snowy  floor,  that  it  sustained  the 
weight  of  our  entire  train  without  in  the  least 
giving  way,  or  cracking  beneath  the  pressure. 


REPRESENTATIVE  MEN  OF  THE  CENTRAL  PACIFIC  RAILROAD. 
1.— E.  B.  Crocker.    2.— C.  P.  Huntington.    3.— Leland  Stanford.    4.— Charles  Crocker.    5.— Mark  Hopkins. 


159 


Our  mules  walked  upon  it  as  upon  a  sheet  of 
solid  ice.  The  whole  field  was  crossed  by  a  net- 
work of  little  ridges,  projecting  about  half  an 
inch,  as  if  the  salt  had  expanded  in  the  process 
of  crystallization.  1  estimated  this  field  to  be,  at 
least,  seven  miles  wide  and  ten  miles  in  length. 
The  salt  which  was  very  pure  and  white,  aver- 
aged from  one-half  to  three-quarters  of  an  inch 
in  thickness,  and  was  equal  in  all  repects  to  our 
finest  specimen  for  table  use.  Assuming  these 
data,  the  quantity  that  here  lay  upon  the  ground 
in  one  body,  exclusive  of  that  already  dis- 
solved,— amounted  to  over  4,500,000  cubic  yards, 
or  about  100,000,000  bushels."  And  even  this 
small  area,  is  but  a  very  little  portion  of  the 
whole  region,  farther  northward  and  westward. 

The  Central  Pacific  Railroad. 

The  record  of  the  building  of  the  Central  Pacif- 
ic Railroad  is  a  description  of  one  of  the  greatest 
trials  of  courage  and  faith  the  world  has  ever  seen, 
and  the  actual  results  are,  beyond  doubt,  the  great- 
est marvel  in  engineering  science,  ever  known  in 
the  United  States.  The  heroic  strength  of  charac- 
ter, the  magnificent  power  and  endurance,  the 
financial  intrepidity  and  the  bold  daring  which 
defied  all  obstacles,  overcame  all  difficulties,  and 
literally  shoved  the  mountains  aside  to  make 
room  for  their  pathway,  are  not  equaled  by  any 
other  achievement  of  the  century.  If  ever  an 
American  can  feel  and  express  just  admiration, 
it  is  to  those  Samsons  of  the  Pacific  Coast,  who 
have  hewn  their  way  with  the  ponderous  strength 
of  their  arms,  and  with  invincible  fortitude 
opened  to  the  world  the  treasures  of  industry  in 
the  mountains  and  valleys  of  the  Far  West  and 
the  Pacific  Coast.  To  one  man,  more  than  all 
others,  is  due  the  credit  for  the  conception,  sur- 
vey and  actual  beginning  of  the  great  Trans- 
Continental  Line.  Theodore  D.  Judah — yet  he 
did  not  live  to  see  the  completion  of  the  railroad 
up  the  Sierras — and  his  successor  Mr.  S.  S.  Mon- 
tague carried  it  through  with  great  energy  and 
success,  and  to  them  the  nation  and  all  Califor- 
nia owe  a  debt  of  gratitude. 

For  years  this  brave  arid  accomplished  en- 
gineer had  the  subject  of  the  road  in  his  mind. 
It  occupied  his  thoughts  by  day  and  was  the 
subject  of  his  dreams  by  night.  The  idea  took 
a  firm  hold  upon  him,  and  he  became  completely 
absorbed  in  it.  It  energized  his  whole  being  and 
he  was  persistent  and  hopeful  to  the  end.  Sac- 
ramento, then  a  much  smaller  place  than  now, 
was  the  home  of  C.  P.  Huntington  and  Mark 
Hopkins,  the  former  now  Vice-President  and  the 
latter  now  Treasurer  of  the  company,  then  hard- 
ware merchants  under  the  firm  name  of  Hunt- 
ington &  Hopkins.  Their  store  became  the 
headquarters  of  the  little  company  that  used  to 
meet  Judah  there  and  talk  o.ver  the  enterprise. 
Judah's  ideas  were  clear,  his  plans  seemed  prac- 


ticable and  his  enthusiasm  was  contagious.  The 
men  who  associated  with  him  were  led  to  make 
contributions  for  the  purpose  of  partial  pay- 
ment toward  a  preliminary  survey,  and,  in  1860, 
Judah  and  his  assistants  wandered  over  the 
gorges  and  canons  of  the  Sierra  Nevadas  in 
search  of  a  line  for  a  railroad.  The  results  of 
his  summer's  work  were  in  every  way  encour- 
aging— so  much  so  that  other  contributions  and 
subscriptions  were  obtained  for  work  the  follow- 
ing year.  The  summer  of  1861  again  found 
Judah  and  his  party  in  the  mountains.  The 
work  of  the  previous  year  was  extended  and 
further  examination  renewed  the  hope  of  the 
engineer  and  quickened  the  zeal  of  his  followers. 
Success  was  certain  if  they  could  only  enlist  cap- 
ital in  the  enterprise. 

But  right  here  was  the  difficulty.  While  the 
great  majority  of  the  people  of  California  be- 
lieved that  the  road  would  be  built  some  day — it 
would  not  be  done  in  their  time.  Some  genera- 
tion in  the  future  might  accomplish  it,  but  it 
would  be  after  they  were  all  dead.  The  subject 
was  broached  in  Congress,  and  finally,  in  1862,  the 
bill  was  passed.  Huntington  and  Judah  went  to 
Washington  with  maps  and  charts,  and  rendered 
invaluable  assistance  to  the  friends  of  the  meas- 
ure in  both  houses  of  Congress,  and  the  day  of  its 
passage  was  the  day  of  their  triumph.  The  news 
was  sent  to  California  with  lightning  speed, 
and  caused  great  rejoicing  among  the  people. 
The  beginning  of  the  end  could  now  distinctly 
be  seen.  Though  great  difficulties  had  been 
surmounted,  a  comparatively  greater  one  lay  in 
the  way.  Capital  which  is  proverbially  timid, 
must  now  be  enlisted  in  the  enterprise.  Forty 
miles  of  road  must  be  built  and  accepted  by  the 

?3vernment,  before  the  aid  could  be  secured, 
inally,  with  what  local  help  they  could  get,  and 
the  assistance  of  New  York  capitalists  and 
bankers,  the  work  was  begun  at  Sacramento, 
and  the  first  section  carried  the  line  high  up 
toward  the  summit  of  the  Sierras.  Their  finan- 
cial agents  in  New  York,  put  their  bonds  on  the 
market,  and  the  funds  for  the  further  extension  of 
the  road  were  rapidly  forthcoming.  Leland 
Stanford,  then  as  now  President  of  the  company, 
inaugurated  the  work  at  Sacramento,  and  also 
drove  the  silver  spike,  which  completed  the  union 
of  the  two  roads  at  Promontory  on  the  10th  day 
of  May,  1869.  The  progress  of  the  road  during 
each  year,  from  the  time  of  its  commencement 
until  its  completion,  is  given  as  follows  :  In  the 
years  1863-4-5,  the  company  completed  20  miles 
each  year.  This  might  be  called  preliminary 
work.  /  They  were  learning  how,  and  their 
severest  difficulties  were  to  be  overcome.  In 
1866  they  built  30  miles,  and  the  next  year  46 
miles.  Now  the  rivalry  between  the  two  great 
corporations  may  be  said  to  have  commenced  in 
earnest.  In  1868,  they  built  364,  and  in  1869,  up 
to  May  10th,  they  closed  the  gap  with  191  miles. 


160 


Difficulties,  Discouragements  and  La- 
bor.— Few  travelers  realize,  as  they  pass  so 
easily  and  pleasantly  over  this  railroad, — what  is 
represented  by  these  long,  smoothly-laid  rails, 
nor  do  they  know  of  the  early  days  of  labor,  and 
intense  energy. 

Everything  of  every  description  of  supplies  had 
to  be  shipped  by  water  from  New  York,  via  Cape 
Horn — to  San  Francisco,  and  then  inland  to 
Sacramento.  Thus  months  of  delay  occurred  in 
obtaining  all  needful  material. 

Even  when  the  project  was  under  full  discus- 
sion at  the  little  office  in  Sacramento,  where  gath- 
ered the  six  great  brains  which  controlled  the 
destiny  of  the  enterprise,  (these  were  Governor 
Leland  Stanford,  C.  P.  Huntington,  Mark  Hop- 
kins, Charles  Crocker,  E.  B.  Crocker,  and  T. 
D.  Judah),  everybody  predicted  its  failure,  and 
few  or  none  looked  for  its  success.  Very  little 
was  known  of  the  country  it  was  to  traverse, — and 
that  not  satisfactory,  and  one  prophesied  that 
this,  the  western  end  of  the  Great  Trans-Conti- 
nental Railroad,  would  be  run  up  into  the 
clouds,  and  left  in  eternal  snows. 

Scores  of  friends  approached  Huntington  in 
those  days  and  said,  "  Huntington,  don't  go  into 
it ;  you  will  bury  your  whole  fortune  in  the  Siena 
Nevadas." 

Outsiders  called  it,  after  the  first  40  miles  were 
built,  "  The  Dutch  Flat  Swindle ;  "  and  the  pro- 
ject was  caricatured,  abused  by  the  newspapers, 
derided  by  politicians,  discountenanced  by  capi- 
talists, and  the  credit  of  every  one  was  impaired 
who  was  connected  with  it. 

Thus  nobly  did  the  Californians  help  this  the 
greatest  enterprise  of  the  State,  and  how  much 
more  noble  have  they  since  been  ! 

In  a  speech  before  the  Senate  Committee  of 
Congress  by  C.  P.  Huntington,  he  says  : 

"  I  suppose  that  it  is  a  fact,  the  mercantile 
credit  of  my  partners  in  business  and  myself,  was 
positively  injured  by  our  connection  with  this 
enterprise. 

"  The  difficulties  which  confronted  us  then,  are 
now  nearly  forgotten,  but  they  were  intensely 
vivid  and  real  then.  There  were  difficulties  from 
end  to  end ;  difficulties  from  high  and  steep 
mountains;  from  snows;  from  deserts  where 
there  was  scarcity  of  water,  and  from  gorges  and 
flats  where  there  was  an  excess  ;  difficulties  from 
cold  and  from  heat,  from  a  scarcity  of  timber 
and  from  obstructions  of  rock  ;  difficulties  in 
supplying  a  large  force  on  a  long  line ;  from  In- 
dians and  want  of  laborers." 

Of  the  princely  subsidies  voted  by  the  United 
States  in  its  government  bonds  to  aid  the  road — 
what  was  the  real  case?  From  the  individual 
and  private  means  of  the  five  capitalists,  they 
were  compelled  to  support  a  force  of  800  men 
one  year — at  their  own  risks — build  40  miles 
before  they  were  entitled  to  the  government 
bonds,  and  then  were  eleven  months  delayed  in 


receiving  what  was  their  due.  To  build  the  first 
section  of  the  road  to  the  mountains,  they  were 
obliged  to  call  in  private  means,  which  out  on 
loan  was  yielding  them  two  per  cent,  interest  in 
gold,  per  month — invest  in  the  road  and  wait 
for  reimbursement.  When  the  government 
bonds  were  at  last  received,  they  vested  into 
gold  at  the  high  rate  of  premium  then  prevail- 
ing, (often  taking  $2  in  bonds  to  buy  $1.00  in 
gold)  to  pay  for  labor  and  expense  of  construc- 
tion, which,  too,  were  excessively  high  for  gold 
prices. 

The  personal  dangers  of  the  builders  were 
great.  The  very  surveyors  ran  the  risk  of  being 
killed  by  Indians,  and  some  of  them  were ;  the 
grading  parties,  at  times,  could  only  work  under 
military  guard  ;  at  all  times  all  the  track-layers 
and  the  train  hands  had  to  be  armed,  and  even 
after  construction  the  trains  were  often  attacked. 
The  first  100  miles  was  up  a  total  ascent  of 
7,000  feet,  requiring  the  most  skillful  engineer- 
ing and  expenditures  of  vast  sums  of  money  in 
excavation.  At  the  height  of  5,000  feet,  the  snow 
line  was  reached,  and  40  miles  of  snow  galleries 
had  to  be  erected,  at  an  additional  expense  of 
$20,000  to  $30,000  per  mile,  and  for  a  mile  or 
more,  in  many  places,  these  must  be  made  so 
strong  that  avalanches  might  pass  over  them  and 
yet  preserve  the  safety  of  the  track.  Even  after 
passing  the  Sierras,  the  railroad  descended  into 
a  vast  plain,  dry,  sere  and  deserted,  where  there 
was  not  a  sign  of  civilized  life,  nor  any  fuel. 
For  over  600  miles  of  the  route,  there  was  not  a 
single  white  inhabitant.  For  over  100  miles  at  a 
stretch,  no  water  could  be  found  for  either  man 
or  machinery ;  and,  even  at  the  present  day,  in 
many  places  the  railroad  company  is  obliged  to 
bring  its  water  in  artificial  pipes  for  distances  of 
one  to  fifteen  miles  for  the  use  of  the  engines. 

Labor  was  almost  impossible  to  get,  and  when 
attained  was  almost  impossible  to  control,  until 
the  Chinese  arrived,  and  to  them  is  due  the  real 
credit  of  the  greatest  help  the  road  possessed. 
Powder  was  one  of  the  heaviest  items  of  ex- 
pense, which  before  the  rise  in  prices  of  the  war, 
could  have  been  had  for  $2.25  per  keg — but  then 
was  obtained  with  difficulty  at  $5.00.  Locomo- 
tives, cars,  tools,  all  were  bought  at  double  prices. 
Rails,  now  worth  but  $40.00  to  $50.00  per  ton, 
then  cost  $80.00  to  $150.00. 

Every  bar  of  iron  and  every  tool  had  first  to 
be  bought  and  started  on  a  sea  voyage  round 
Cape  Horn,  some  four  or  six  months  before  it 
was  needed. 

Insurance  on  the  sea  voyages  rose  from  2  1-2 
to  10  per  cent. — freights  increased  from  $18.00  to 
$45.00  per  ton. 

Of  the  engineering  difficulties  of  the  con- 
struction on  the  Sierras,  none  can  form  a  possi- 
ble idea.  A  culvert  would  be  built,  the  begin- 
ning of  which  was  on  the  grade,  while  the  other 
end  would  be  50  feet  or  more  below.  At  another 


was  &*§@swx@  T&w^mw. 


161 


place  is  a  bank  80  to  100  feet  in  height,  covering 
a  culvert  250  feet  in  length,  then  comes  a  bridge 
leaping  a  chasm  of  150  feet  in  depth. 

Next  a  cut  of  hardest  granite,  where,  in  the 
short  space  of  250  feet,  would  be  working  30 
carts  and  250  workmen,  thick  as  bees — while 
a  little  beyond  is  an  embankment  built  up  80 
feet,  from  whose  top  you  can  look  down  1,000 
feet. 

The  famous  Summit  Tunnel  is  1,659  feet  in 
length,  cut  through  solid  granite,  and  for  a  mile 
on  either  side  there  are  rock  cuttings  of  the  most 
stupendous  character,  and  the  railroad  is  cut 
directly  in  the  face  of  a  precipice.  The  powder 
bill  alone  for  one  month  was  $54,000.  Blasting 
was  done  three  times  per  day,  and  sometimes  of 
extraordinary  execution.  A  hole  of  eight  feet 
was  once  drilled  and  fired,  and  1,440  yards  of 
granite  were  thrown  clear  from  the  road-bed. 
Several  more  holes  of  same  depth 
were  drilled  into  a  seam  in  the  rock, 
which  were .  lightly  loaded  and  ex- 
ploded until  a  large  fissure  was  opened, 
when  an  immense  charge  was  put 
in,  set  off,  and  3,000  tons  of  granite 
went  whirling  down  the  mountain, 
tearing  up  trees,  rocks,  etc.,  with 
fearful  havoc.  One  rock,  weighing  70 
pounds,  was  blown  one-third  of  a  mile 
away  from  its  bed,  while  another 
of  240  pounds  was  blown  entirely 
across  Conner  Lake,  a  distance  of  two- 
thirds  of  a  mile.  At  one  place,  near 
Donner's  Backbone,  the  railroad  track 
is  so  constructed  that  it  describes  a 
curve  of  180°,  and  runs  back  on  the 
opposite  side  of  the  ridge  only  a  few 
feet  parallel  to  the  course  it  has  fol- 
lowed to  the  point,  all  at  a  grade  of  90 
feet  to  the  mile. 

But  it  is  impossible  to  tell  all  the  won- 
ders of  engineering,  or  the  feats  of  skill ; 
let  active  eyes  watch  the  scene  as  the 
traveler  passes  over  the  railroad,  and  then  give 
due  credit  and  admiration  to  the  pluck,  skill, 
persistence  and  faith  which  has  accomplished 
so  much,  and  been  productive  of  so  much 
good. 

The  little  beginning,  in  1860,  has  now  given 
place  to  the  most  astonishing  enterprise  of  mod- 
ern times.  The  pay-roll  of  the  Central  Pacific 
Railroad  Company  now  exceeds  7,000  names  of 
employes.  The  Southern  Pacific  Railroad,  an- 
other grand  enterprise,  controlled  in  part  by  some 
of  the  same  company,  is  building  its  road  rapidly, 
with  a  force  of  5,000  men,  toward  the  fields  of 
Arizona  and  New  Mexico.  All  the  important 
railroads  and  steamboats  of  California  are  now 
controlled  by  these  gigantic  corporations,  and 
from  the  latest  reports  we  quote  figures  of  this 
financial  capital  of  the  greatest  corporations  in 
the  United  States : 


CENTRAL  PACIFIC  RAILROAD  COMPANY. 

Capital  stock  actually  paid  in,  $54,275,500 

Funded  debt,  53,069,095 

United  States  subsidy  bonds,  27,855,680 

Land  grants  of  11 ,722,400  acres  at  $2.50,  29,306,000 

Value  of  lands  in  San  Francisco,  Oakland,  and 

Sacramento,  7,750,000 

Total  value,  $172,256,275 

SOUTHERN  PACIFIC  RAILROAD  COMPANY. 

Authorized  capital  stock,  $90,000,000 

First  mortgage  bonds,  authorized,  46,000,000 

12,000,000  acres  land  grants,  at  $2.50,  30,000,000 

Total  value  Southern  Pacific  Railroad  Company,  $166,000,000 

Total  capital  of  Central  Pacific  and  Southern 

Pacific  Railroads,  $338,256,275 

Number  miles  constructed  and  in  operation  by 

Central  Pacific  Railroad,  1,213 

Number  miles  built  and  being  built  by  Southern 

Pacific  Railroad,  1,160 


SILVER  PALACE  CAR,  C.  P.  R.  R. 

Westward  to  San  Francisco. 

Travelers  from  the  East,  after  dining  at  Ogden 
and  having  an  hour  in  which  to  re-check  their 
baggage,  will  board  a  train  of  silver  palace  cars 
belonging  to  the  Central  Pacific,  in  the  evening, 
as  the  trains  now  run,  and  will  soon  be  whirling 
away  across  the  Great  American  Desert.  As  we 
pass  out  of  the  suburbs  of  Ogden,  we  cross  Og- 
den River  on  a  pile  bridge,  and  leave  it  to  pur- 
sue its  turbulent  way  to  the  lake.  We  soon  ar- 
rive at  tjhe  point  of  junction  before  alluded  to, 
but  find  no  magnificent  hotel,  or  other  buildings, 
or  any  evidence  of  any.  "  Union  Junction  "  is 
therefore  a  myth,  and  exists  only  in  the  fertile 
imagination.  The  land,  such  as  it  is,  however, 
is  there,  and  we  soon  pass  the  steaming  Hot 
Springs  on  the  right  of  the  road  and  close  to  the 
track.  These  springs  are  said  to  be  both  iron 


162 


and  sulphur,  and  from  the  red  sediment  which 
has  been  deposited  over  quite  an  area  of  surface 
near  by,  we  judge  that  the  iron  springs  predom- 
inate. Since  leaving  Weber  Canon  we  have  come 
nearly  north  and  will  continue  in  that  direction 
until  we  approach  Corinne.  On  our  right  are 
the  towering  peaks  of  the  Wahsatch  in  close 
proximity.  On  our  left  are  the  irrigating  ditches 
that  supply  the  farms  with  water,  an  increas- 
ing growth  of  underbrush  off  toward  the  lake, 
and  Fremont's  Island  in  the  distance  with  a 
towering  rock, 
looking  like  a 
huge  castle, 
upon  one  ex- 
tremity of  it. 
We  soon  pass 
a  little  town 
called  North 
Ogden,  at  a 
canon  through 
the  mountains, 
which  is  some- 
times called  Og- 
den  Hole,  or 
North  Ogdeii 
Canon.  Before 
the  road  was 
built  through 
Ogden  Canon 
proper,  this  was 
the  nearest 
source  of  com- 
m  uni  cation 
with  the  valley 
the  other  side  of 
the  mountains. 
There  are  about 
nine  miles  of 
straight  track 
here  and  we 
soon  arrive  at 

Bonneville 
—  871  miles 
from  San  Fran- 
cisco, with  an 
elevation  of 
4,310  feet.  It 
is  merely  a  side 
track.  The 
Mormons  have 
some  fine  farms  in  this  vicinity,  and  between  the 
railroad  and  base  of  the  mountains  there  are 
many  cultivated  fields  and  fine  orchards  of  apple 
and  peach  trees.  There  are  frequent  canons 
through  the  range,  at  the  mouth  of  which  are 
little  settlements  or  villages ;  the  creeks  from  the 
canons  supplying  the  water  which  irrigates  their 
fields,  gardens  and  orchards.  The  largest  of 
these  settlements  or  villages  are  called  Willard 
City  and  Brigham  City,  and  their  business  is  now 
done  almost  exclusively  with  the  Utah  North- 


SHOSHONE  INDIAN  VILLAGE. 


ern  Railroad,  which  runs  parallel  with  the  Cen- 
tral Pacific  between  Ogden  and  Corinne  and  near- 
er the  base  of  the  mountains.  The  next  station  is 
Brigham, — 862  miles  from  San  Francisco  ; 
elevation,  4,220  feet.  A  side  track  for  the  pass- 
ing of  trains.  It  is  the  station  for  Brigham 
City,  which  is  some  three  miles  away,  though  it 
does  not  look  half  that  distance.  Leaving  this 
station  we  cross  some  alkali  marshes  near,  and 
cross  an  arm  of  the  lake  or  small  bay,  with  the 
eastern  part  of  the  Great  Salt  Sea  in  full  view, 

with  Promon- 
tory Mountains 
beyond.  Ap- 
proaching C  o  - 
riime  we  enter 
the  celebrated 
Bear  River  Val- 
ley, crossing  the 
river  on  a  pile 
bridge  and 
reach 

Corinne, — 
857  miles  from 
San  Francisco, 
with  an  eleva- 
tion of  4,294 
feet.  It  is  the 
largest  Gentile 
town  in  the  Ter- 
ritory, and  if 
not  hated  is  cor- 
dially and  ef- 
fectually let 
alone  by  most  of 
the  Mormons  in 
the  surrounding 
settlements. 
The  natural  lo- 
cation is  excel- 
lent, and  when 
the  thousands  of 
acres  of  fertile 
lands  in  the 
Bear  River  Val- 
ley are  settled, 
as  they  surely 
will  be  in  time, 
Corinne  will  be 
the  center  of 
trade  and  influr 
ence  to  which  her  location  entitles  her.  On  the 
completion  of  the  railroad  through  here — before 
it  came,  even — the  Gentiles  had  taken  posses- 
sion of  the  town  and  determined  to  maintain  an 
ascendency.  From  that  time  it  has  been  an 
object  of  defamation  by  the  Saints;  and  the 
lands  in  the  broad  valley  which  surround  it,  as 
rich  as  any  in  the  Territory,  are  left  with  scarcely 
a  settler.  To-day  these  lands  are  open  and  in 
the  market,  and  if  enterprising  farmers  in  the 
East  desire  farms  in  a  healthful  climate,  near  a 


163 


good  market,  with  short  winters  and  those  sel- 
dom excessively  cold,  with  the  salt  water  breezes 
fresh  from  the  lake,  and  in  a  country  where  the 
finest  kind  of  fruit  can  be  grown,  we  advise 
them  to  stop  here,  inform  themselves  as  best 
they  can,  look  the  ground  over  thoroughly  and 
decide  for  themselves,  the  question  of  choosing 
this  place  for  a  new  home.  This  is  one  side  of 
the  picture.  The  other  is  want  of  water.  All 
crops  in  this  valley  are  raised  by  irrigation.  A 
ditch  has  already  been  dug  from  Malad  River, 
which  supplies  some  farms  on  its  line,  and  the 
town  with  water.  A  large  flouring-mill  is  also 
supplied  with  water  from  this  ditch. 

Some  of  the  finest   wheat  we  ever   saw  was 
raised  near  Corinne,  on  irrigated   land.     It  was 


TTTB  SQUAW  AND  PAPPOOSE. 

spring  wheat  and  produced  at  the  rate  of  nearly 
50  bushels  to  the  acre.  The  spring  wheat  of 
Utah  far  excels  in  quality,  the  best  winter  wheat 
produced  in  Eastern  States.  It  has  a  large,  plump, 
hard,  white  berry,  and  will  rank  as  A  No.  1  in 
any  wheat  market  in  the  country. 

Corinne  in  its  early  history,  was  "a  rough 
town ; "  but  the  roughs  have  passed  on,  or  sleep 
in  unknown  graves.  The  town  now  has  three 
churches,  a  good  school,  a  large  flouring-mill, 
several  commission  and  forwarding  houses,  stores 
of  various  kinds,  etc.  It  is  the  natural  freight- 
ing point  to  eastern  Idaho  and  Montana,  and  be- 
fore the  Utah  Northern,  with  which  it  is  con- 
nected by  a  short  branch,  was  completed  to 
Franklin,  its  present  terminus,  nearly  all  the 
freighting  business  of  the  last  named  Territory 
was  done  from  this  point,  and  a  large  share  of 
it  still  comes  here. 


Corinne  is  about  seven  miles  from  Great  Salt 
Lake.  A  railroad  company  has  been  chartered 
to  build  a  road  direct  to  Montana,  with  favorable 
prospects  of  being  put  through  at  an  early  day. 
At  some  point  on  or  near  the  Snake  River,  it  will 
form  a  junction  with  the  proposed  Portland, 
Dalles  and  Salt  Lake  Road,  the  southern  termi- 
nus of  which  will  be  at  this  city.  The  Central 
Pacific  have  also  considered  a  railroad  project 
around  the  Bear  River  Valley,  by  way  of  the 
Soda  Springs,  to  the  newly  discovered  coal  fields 
north  of  Evanston. 

There  are  quite  a  number  of  hotels  and  public 
boarding-houses,  for  the  accommodation  of 
guests,  the  leading  house,  a  brick  structure,  being 
the  "  Central."  Bear  River  abounds  in  fish,  and 
in  the  proper  season  the  sloughs  and  marshes 
bordering  the  river  near  the  lake,  are  almost 
covered  with  ducks  and  wild  geese,  thxis  offer- 
ing fine  sport  for  the  hunter  and  fisherman. 
The  water-lines  of  the  lake  become,  as  we  pass 
westward  toward  the  mountains  of  the  Promon- 
tory Range,  visible  high  up  on  the  side  of  the 
mountains.  There  are  three  distinct  water-lines 
to  be  seen  in  some  places  near  Ogden,  and  each 
one  has  left  a  bench  or  terrace  of  land  or  rock  by 
which  it  may  be  traced.  The  great  basin  is  full 
of  wonders,  and  no  richer  field  on  the  Continent 
awaits  scientific  examination  than  this.  We 
soon  pass 

Quarry, — a  side  track,  with  a  huge,  rocky, 
black  castle  on  the  right  and  back  of  it.  Trains 
do  not  stop  here,  nor  is  the  station  down  on  the 
advertised  time-cards.  The  mountain  on  our 
right  is  called  Little  Mountain,  and  rises  soli- 
tary and  alone  out  of  the  plain.  As  we  pass  be- 
yond and  look  back,  an  oval-shaped  dome  rises 
from  its  northern  end  as  the  turret  of  a  castle. 
Salt  Creek  rises  in  the  valley  above,  and  sinks 
into  the  sand  on  its  way  to  the  lake. 

Blue  Creek, — 838  miles  from  San  Francisco, 
with  an  elevation  of  4,379  feet.  It  is  a  telegraph 
station  with  a  side  track  and  turn-table.  If  we 
have  a  heavy  train  a  helper  engine  is  here  await- 
ing our  arrival,  and  will  assist  in  pulling  us  up 
the  hill  to  Promontory.  Between  this  and  the 
next  station,  are  some  very  heavy  grades,  short 
curves  and  deep  rocky  cuts,  with  fills  across 
ravines.  Blue  Creek  comes  rushing  down  from 
the  mountains,  and  furnishes  water  for  several 
stations  along  the  road.  Leaving  this  station 
we  begin  to  climb  around  a  curve  and  up  the 
side  of  the  Promontory  Range,  the  road  almost 
doubling  back  on  itself.  The  old  grade  of  the 
Union  Pacific  is  crossed  and  recrossed  in  several 
places,  and  is  only  a  short  distance  away. 

As  we  wind  into  the  depressions  and  round  the 
points,  gradually  ascending  to  the  summit  of  the 
divide,  the  view  of 'the  lake,  Corinne,  Ogden  and 
the  Wahsatch  Mountains,  is  grand.  The  grade 
for  a  short  distance,  is  said  to  be  110  feet  to  the 
mile.  We  pass  the  rock  cuts  where  each  road 


164 


expended  thousands  of  dollars,  and  where  Bishop 
John  Sharp,  now  President  of  the  Utah  Central, 
exploded  a  mine  which  lifted  the  rock  from  the 
grade  completely  out,  and  gave  a  clear  track  after 
the  rubbish  was  cleared  away. 

Promontory, — 804  miles  from  San  Fran- 
cisco ;  elevation,  4,905  feet.  It  is  about  9  miles 
from  Blue  Creek,  and  in  the  first  seven  miles  we 
ascend  over  500  feet.  While  the  road  was  under 
construction,  this  little  place  was  quite  lively, 
but  its  glory  has  departed,  and  its  importance  at 
this  time,  is  chiefly  historic.  It  has  a  very  well- 
kept  eating-house  for  railroad  and  train  men, 
and  large  coal-sheds  with  a  three-stall  round- 
house and  other  buildings  for  the  convenience  of 
employes.  The  water  used  here  is  brought 
from  Blue  Creek.  It  is  located  between  two 
peaks  or  ridges  of  the  Promontory  Range,  one  of 
which  on  the  left,  is  covered  with  cedars,  and  a 
portion  of  the  year  crowned  with  snow. 

This  place  is  well  known  as  the  meeting  of  the 
two  railroads. 

The  highest  point  on  the  left,  is  called  "  Peak  " 
on  Froiseth's  Map  of  Utah,  and  from  its  summit  a 
magnificent  view  of  the  lake  and  surrounding 
country  can  be  obtained. 

TJie  Great  Railroad  Wedding — Driving 
the  Last  Spike. 

American  history,  in  its  triumphs  of  skill, 
labor  and  genius,  knows  no  event  of  greater, 
thrilling  interest,  than  the  scene  which  attended 
the  driving  of  the  last  spike,  which  united  the 
East  and  West  with  the  bands  of  iron.  The 
completion  of  a  project  so  grand  in  conception,  so 
successful  in  execution,  and  likely  to  prove  so 
fruitful  and  rich  in  promise,  was  worthy  of 
world-wide  celebrity. 

Upon  the  10th  of  May,  1869,  the  rival  roads 
approached  each  other,  and  two  lengths  of  rails 
were  left  for  the  day's  work.  At  8  A.  M.,  spec- 
tators began  to  arrive;  at  quarter  to  9  A.  M., 
the  whistle  of  the  Central  Pacific  Railroad  is 
heard,  and  the  first  train  arrives,  bringing  a  large 
number  of  passengers.  Then  two  additional 
trains  arrive  on  the  Union  Pacific  Railroad,  from 
the  East.  At  a  quarter  of  11  A.  M.,  the  Chinese 
workmen  commenced  leveling  the  bed  of  the 
road,  with  picks  and  shovels,  preparatory  to 
placing  the  ties.  At  a  quarter  past  eleven  the 
Governor's  train  (Governor  Stanford)  arrived. 
The  engine  was  gaily  decorated  with  little  flags 
and  ribbons — the  red  white  and  blue.  The  last 
tie  is  put  in  place — eight  feet  long,  eight  inches 
wide,  and  six  inches  thick.  It  was  made  of  Cal- 
ifornia laurel,  finely  polished,  and  ornamented 
with  a  silver  escutcheon,  bearing  the  following 
inscription : 

"  The  last  tie  laid  on  the  Pacific  Railroad,  May 
10,  1869." 

Then  follow  the  names  of  the  directors  and 


officers  of  the  Central  Pacific  Company,  and  of 
the  presenter  of  the  tie. 

The  exact  point  of  contact  of  the  road  was 
1,085.8  miles  west  from  Omaha,  which  allowed 
690  miles  to  the  Central  Pacific  Railroad,  for 
Sacramento,  for  their  portion  of  the  work.  The 
engine  Jupiter,  of  the  Central  Pacific  Railroad, 
and  the  engine  119  of  the  Union  Pacific  Rail- 
road, moved  up  to  within  30  feet  of  each  other. 

Just  before  noon  the  announcement  was  sent 
to  Washington,  that  the  driving  of  the  last  spike 
of  the  railroad  which  connected  the  Atlantic 
and  Pacific,  would  be  communicated  to  all  the 
telegraph  offices  in  the  country  the  instant 
the  work  was  done,  and  instantly  a  large  crowd 
gathered  around  the  offices  of  the  Western 
Union  Telegraph  Company  to  receive  the  wel- 
come news. 

The  manager  of  the  company  placed  a  mag- 
netic ball  in  a  conspicuous  position,  where  all 
present  could  witness  the  performance,  and  con- 
nected the  same  with  the  main  lines,  notifying 
the  various  offices  of  the  country  that  he  was 
ready.  New  Orleans,  New  York  and  Boston  in- 
stantly answered  "  Ready." 

In  San  Francisco,  the  wires  were  connected 
with  the  fire-alarm  in  the  lower,  where  the  heavy 
ring  of  the  bell  might  spread  the  news  immedi- 
ately over  the  city,  as  quick  as  the  event  was 
completed. 

Waiting  for  some  time  in  impatience,  at  last 
came  this  message  from  Promontory  Point,  at 
2.27  P.  M.  : 

"  Almost  ready.  Hats  off,  prayer  is  being  of- 
fered" 

A  silence  for  the  prayer  ensued  ;  at  2.40  P.  M., 
the  bell  tapped  again,  and  the  officer  at  Promon- 
tory said : 

"  We  have  got  done  praying,  the  spike  is  about 
to  be  presented." 

Chicago  replied :  "  We  understand,  all  are 
ready  in  the  East." 

From  Promontory  Point.  "All  ready  now; 
the  spike  will  soon  be  driven.  The  signal  will  be 
three  dots  for  the  commencement  of  the  blows." 

For  a  moment  the  instrument  was  silent,  and 
then  the  hammer  of  the  magnet  tapped  the  bell, 
one,  two,  three,  the  signal.  Another  pause  of  a 
few  seconds,  and  the  lightning  came  flashing 
eastward,  2,400  miles  to  Washington ;  and  the 
blows  of  the  hammer  on  the  spike  were  repeated 
instantly  in  telegraphic  accents  upon  the  bell  of 
the  Capitol.  At  2.47  P.  M.,  Promontory  Point 
gave  the  signal,  "  Done  ;  "  and  the  great  Amer- 
ican Continent  was  successfully  spanned. 
Immediately  thereafter,  flashed  over  the  line, 
the  following  official  announcement  to  the  As- 
sociated Press : 

Promontory    Summit,   Utah,   May   10. — THE 

LAST      RAIL      IS     LAID  !       THE     LAST      SPIKE      IS 

DRIVEN  !  THE  PACIFIC  RAILROAD  •  is  COM- 
PLETED I  The  point  of  junction  is  1,086  miles  west 


I] 


THE  GREAT  RAILROAD  WEDDING. 
1.— Driving  the  last  Spike.    2.— Union  of  the  East  and  West.    3.— First  Whistle  of  the  Iron  Horse. 


166 


of  the  Missouri  River,  and  690  miles  east  of  Sacra- 
mento City. 

LELAND  STANFORD, 

Central  Pacific  Railroad. 

T.  C.  DURANT,        ~) 

SIDNEY  DILLON,   >  Union  Pacific  Railroad. 
JOHN  DUFF,          ) 

Such  were  the  telegraphic  incidents  that  at- 
tended the  completion  of  the  greatest  work  of  the 
age, — but  during  these  few  expectant  moments, 
the  scene  itself  at  Promontory  Point,  was  very 
impressive. 

After  the  rival  engines  had  moved  up  toward 
each  other,  a  call  was  made  for  the  people  to 
stand  back,  in  order  that  all  might  have  a 
chance  to  see.  Prayer  was  offered  by  Rev.  Dr. 
Todd  of  Massachusetts.  Brief  remarks  were 
then  made  by  General  Dodge  and  Governor 
Stanford.  Three  cheers  were  given  for  the 
Government  of  the  United  States,  for  the  Rail- 
road, for  the  Presidents,  for  the  Star  Spangled 
Banner,  for  the  Laborers,  and  for  those  respec- 
tively, who  furnished  the  means.  Four  spikes 
were  then  furnished, — two  gold  and  tico  silver, — 
by  Montana,  Idaho,  California,  and  Nevada. 
They  were  each  about  seven  inches  long,  and  a 
little  larger  than  the  iron  spike. 

Dr.  Harkness,  of  Sacramento,  in  presenting  to 
Governor  Stanford  a  spike  of  pure  gold,  delivered 
a  short  and  appropriate  speech. 

The  Hon.  F.  A.  Tritle,  of  Nevada,  presented 
Dr.  Durant  with  a  spike  of  silver,  saying :  "  To 
the  iron  of  the  East,  and  the  gold  of  the  West,  Ne- 
vada adds  her  link  of  silver  to  span  the  Continent 
and  weld  the  oceans." 

Governor  Safford,  of  Arizona,  presenting 
another  spike,  said  :  "  Ribbed  in  iron,  clad  in 
silver,  and  crowned  with  gold,  Arizona  presents  her 
offering  to  the  enterprise  that  has  banded  the  Conti- 
nent and  welded  the  oceans." 

Dr.  Durant  stood  on  the  north  side  of  the  tie, 
and  Governor  Stanford  on  the  south  side.  At  a 
given  signal,  these  gentlemen  struck  the  spikes, 
and  at  the  same  instant  the  electric  spark  was 
sent  through  the  wires,  east  and  west.  The  two 
locomotives  moved  up  until  they  touched  each 
other,  and  a  bottle  of  wine  was  poured,  as  a  liba- 
tion on  the  last  rail. 

A  number  of  ladies  graced  the  ceremonies  with 
their  presence,  and  at  1  p.  M.,  under  an  almost 
cloudless  sky,  and  in  the  presence  of  xabout  one 
thousand  one  hundred  people,  the  greatest  railroad 
on  earth  was  completed. 

A  sumptuous  repast  was  given  to  all  the  guests 
and  railroad  officers,  and  toward  evening  the 
trains  each  moved  away  and  darkness  fell  upon 
the  scene  of  joy  and  triumph. 

Immediately  after  the  ceremonies,  the  laurel 
tie  was  removed  for  preservation,  and  in  its 
place  an  ordinary  one  substituted.  Scarcely  had 
it  been  put  in  its  place,  before  a  grand  advance 


was  made  upon  it  by  the  curiosity  seekers  and 
relic  hunters  and  divided  into  numberless  me- 
mentoes, and  as  fast  as  each  tie  was  demolished 
and  a  new  one  substituted,  this,  too,  shared  the 
same  fate,  and  probably  within  the  first  six 
months,  there  were  used  as  many  new  ties.  It  is 
said  that  even  one  of  the  rails  did  not  escape  the 
grand  battery  of  knife  and  hack,  and  the  first 
one  had  soon  to  be  removed  to  give  place  to 
another. 

A  curious  incident,  connected  with  the  laying 
of  the  last  rails,  has  been  little  noticed  hitherto. 
Two  lengths  of  rails,  56  feet,  had  been  omitted. 
The  Union  Pacific  people  brought  up  their  pair 
of  rails,  and  the  work  of  placing  them  was  done 
by  Europeans.  The  Central  Pacific  people  then 
laid  their  pair  of  rails,  the  labor  being  performed 
by  Mongolians.  The  foremen,  in  both  cases,  were 
Americans.  Here,  near  the  center  of  the  great 
American  Continent,  were  representatives  of 
Asia,  Europe  and  America — America  directing 
and  controlling. 

It  is  somewhat  unfortunate  that  all  the  scenes 
which  characterize  this  place  of  meeting  are 
passed  over  by  the  railroad  trains  at  night,  and 
travelers  can  not  catch  even  a  glimpse. 

Leaving  Promontory,  a  sugar-loaf  peak  rises 
on  our  right,  and.  as  we  near  it,  the  lake  again 
comes  into  view,  looking  like  a  green  meadow  in 
the  distance.  About  three  miles  west  of  the 
station,  on  the  left  side  of  the  track,  a  sign-board 
has  been  erected,  stating  that  10  miles  of  track 
were  here  laid  in  one  day.  Ten  miles  farther 
west  a  similar  sign-board  appears.  This  track 
was  laid  on  the  29th  of  April,  1869,  and,  so  far 
as  known,  is  the  largest  number  of  miles  ever 
laid  in  one  day.  (For  a  full  description,  see 
page  8.) 

Rozel, — an  unimportant  station,  -where  trains 
meet  and  pass ;  but  passenger  trains  do  not  stop 
unless  signaled.  The  lake  can  now  be  seen  for 
a  long  distance,  and  in  a  clear  day,  with  a  good 
glass,  the  view  is  magnificent.  Still  crossing  a 
sage  brush  plain,  with  occasional  alkali  patches, 
closing  in  upon  the  shore  at  times,  we  soon  ar- 
rive at 

Lake. — There  is  an  open  plain  to  the  north 
of  these  two  stations,  and  north  of  Rozel  espe- 
cially, are  salt  wells.  Between  these  two  stations 
the  second  sign-board  close  to  the  track,  showing 
the  western  limit  of  the  10  miles  of  track  laid 
in  one  day,  is  seen.  North  of  Lake  Station 
about  three  miles,  are  Cedar  Springs,  which  was 
quite  a  place  during  the  construction  of  the 
road,  and  a  great  deal  of  wood,  etc.,  was  obtained 
near  them,  for  use  of  the  road.  Leaving  this 
station  we  pass  across  flats  and  marshes,  with 
the  old  Union  Pacific  grade  still  well  preserved, 
on  our  left.  In  places,  however,  it  is  partially 
washed  away  by  the  waves  of  the  lake.  Next 
comes 

Monument, — 804  miles  from  San  Francisco ; 


167 


SALT  LAKE  FROM  MONUMENT  POINT. 


elevation,  4,227  feet.  An  isolated  rock  rises, 
like  a  monument,  in  the  lake  on  the  left,  while 
the  hill  on  the  right  is  crowned  with  turrets  and 
projecting  domes.  You  have  here  a  grand  view 
of  the  lake,  its  islands  and  shores,  with  promon- 
tories, etc.,  which  is  correctly  represented  by  our 
artist.  The  station  itself  is  a  mere  side  track 
and  "  Y,"  for  the  convenience  of  the  road. 
When  the  strong  south  wind  blows,  the  waves, 
dashing  against  the  rocks  on  the  shore,  and  the 
rolling  white  caps  in  the  distance,  form  a  beauti- 
ful view  which  the  tourist,  after  passing  the 
dreary  waste,  will  appreciate.  The  road  now 
turns  to  the  right,  and  the  view  of  the  lake  is 
shut  out  by  a  low  hill  that  intervenes.  On  the 
west  side  of  this  hill  are  the  Locomotive  Springs 
which  puff  out  steam  at  times,  and  which  give 
them  their  name.  A  Mormon  brother  has  a 
ranche  at  the  springs,  and  seems  to  enjoy  life  as 
best  he  can  with  three  wives. 

The  Overfloiv  of  the  Great  Salt  Lake — 
Another  theory  as  to  its  outlet. — Parties 
who  profess  to  be  well  posted  as  to  the  nature  of 
the  country  surrounding  this  great  body  of  salt 
water,  do  not  agree  with  the  views  elsewhere  ex- 
pressed, that  in  case  its  rise  continues,  its  waters 
will  flow  into  the  Humboldt  River.  They  assert 
that  north  of  Monument  Rock  is  an  extensive 
arm  of  the  lake,  now  dry,  and  that  the  divide 
between  the  northern  extremity  of  this  arm  and 
the  Raft  River,  a  tributary  of  Snake  River,  is 
not  more  than  from  50  to  75  feet  high ;  and  that, 
if  the  lake  rises,  this  divide  will  be  washed  out — 
or  a  channel  may  be  cut  through  it  into  Raft 


.^s^~' 
MONUMENT  POINT  FROM  SALT  LAKE. 

River,  and  the  surplus  waters  of  the  lake  thus 
drained  into  the  Pacific  Ocean,  through  the 
Snake  and  Columbia  Rivers.  Next  we  pass 

Seco, — which  is  an  unimportant  station  in 
the  midst  of  sage  plains,  and  soon  arrive  at 

Kelton, — 790  miles  from  San  Francisco,  with 
an  elevation  of  4,223  feet.  There  have  been  no 
very  heavy  grades  between  this  and  Promontory. 
The  town  is  located  at  the  north-west  corner  of 
Salt  Lake,  and  about  two  miles  from  it,  with  low 
marshes  and  sloughs  intervening.  This  is  a 
stage  station,  and  passengers  for  Boise  City  and 
other  points  in  Idaho,  and  points  in  Oregon  as 
far  as  Dalles,  will  here  leave  the  train  and  secure 
seats  in  the  coaches  of  the  stage  line.  The  ship- 
ping of  freight  for  Idaho,  and  the  fact  that  it  is 
the  terminus  of  the  stage  line,  are  the  principal 
causes  for  the  growth  and  business  of  this  place. 
It  has  a  fair  hotel,  several  stores,  the  usual  num- 
ber of  saloons,  and  corrals  for  stock  used  in 
freighting.  In  1875,  6,000,000  pounds  of  freight 
were  shipped  from  this  place  to  Idaho,  or  about 
3,000  tons.  The  freighting  business  has  grad- 
ually increased  from  year  to  year,  and  will  con- 
tinue to  do  so  as  the  mines  of  the  Territory 
are  developed,  and  until  the  Portland,  Dalles 
and  Salt  Lake  Railroad  is  pushed  forward  into 
the  Ter/ritory.  Seven  miles  north  of  the  town, 
at  the  foot  of  the  mountains,  are  springs  of 
clear,  fresh  water,  from  which  water  is  conveyed 
for  the  use  of  the  railroad  and  inhabitants. 
There  is  a  good  deal  of  stock  grazed  in  the 
vicinity  of  this  station,  which  feed  on  sage  brush 
in  the  winter  and  such  grass  as  they  get,  but  find 


168 


good  grazing  in  the  summer.  The  surplus  cattle 
are  shipped  to  the  markets  on  the  Pacific  Coast. 

Tourists  will  also  bear  in  mind,  that  this  is 
the  station  nearest  to  the  great  Shoshone  Falls. 
These  falls  are  110  miles  from  Kelton.  Passen- 
gers from  the  east  will  arrive  at  about  10  o'clock 
p.  M.,  and  stay  all  night.  Passengers  from  the 
west  will  ai-rive  at  about  two  o'clock  A.  M.  The 
next  morning  they  will  take  the  stage 
run  by  the  North-western  Stage  Company,  100 
miles  to  Rock  Creek  Station,  which  are  made 
over  good  roads  in  twelve  hours.  Here  you  will 
stay  over  night,  and  take  a  team  the  next  morn- 
ing for  the  falls ;  distance  ten  miles  over  a  lava 
plain,  with  stinted  sage  brush.  No  sign  of  the 
great  falls  is  seen,  until  you  reach  a  point  one  mile 
from  them,  when  they  suddenly  burst  upon  the 
eye  with  a  grandeur  and  magnificence  truly 
bewildering. 

Travelers  to  the  main  falls  can  reach  them  on 
foot  very  easily  from  the  upper  ridge.  It  will 
abundantly  repay  visitors  to  go  to  the  edge  of 
the  river,  and  contemplate  their  silent  grandeur. 
A  pathway  or  trail  leads  from  the  point  where 
wagons  stop,  and  the  distance  is  about  one  mile. 

The  Great  Shoshone  Falls. 

BY   CLARENCE    KING. 

In  October,  1868,  with  a  small  detachment  of 
a  United  States  Geological  Survey,  the  writer 
crossed  the  Goose  Creek  Mountains,  in  northern 
Utah,  and  descended  by  the  old  Fort  Boise  Road 
to  the  level  of  the  Snake  Plain.  After  camp  and 
breakfast,  at  Rock  Creek,  mounting  in  the  sad- 
dle we  headed  toward  the  Canon  of  the  Shoshone. 
The  air  was  cold  and  clear.  The  remotest 
mountain  peaks  upon  the  horizon  could  be  dis- 
tinctly seen,  and  the  forlorn  details  of  their 
brown  slopes  stared  at  us  as  through  a  vacuum. 
A  few  miles  in  front,  the  smooth  surface  of  the 
plain  was  broken  by  a  ragged,  zigzag  line  of 
black,  which  marked  the  edge  of  the  farther  wall 
of  the  Snake  Canon.  A  dull,  throbbing  sound 
greeted  us.  Its  pulsations  were  deep  and  seemed 
to  proceed  from  the  ground  beneath  our  feet. 

Leaving  the  cavalry  to  bring  up  the  wagon,  my 
two  friends  and  I  galloped  on,  and  were  quickly 
upon  the  edge  of  the  canon  wall.  We  looked 
down  into  a  broad,  circular  excavation,  three- 
quarters  of  a  mile  in  diameter,  and  nearly  seven 
hundred  feet  deep.  East  and  north,  over  the 
edges  of  the  canon,  we  looked  across  miles  and 
miles  of  the  Snake  Plain,  far  on  to  the  blue 
boundary  mountains.  The  wall  of  the  gorge 
opposite  us,  like  the  cliff  at  our  feet,  sank  in 
perpendicular  bluffs,  nearly  to  the  level  of  the 
river.  A  horizon  as  level  as  the  sea;  a  circling 
wall,  whose  sharp  edges  were  here  and  there  bat- 
tlemented  in  huge,  fortress-like  masses ;  a  broad 
river,  smooth  and  unruffled,  flowing  quietly  into 
the  middle  of  the  scene,  and  then  plunging  into 


a  labyrinth  of  rocks,  tumbling  over  a  precipice 
two  hundred  feet  high,  and  flowing  westward  in 
a  still,  deep  current,  disappear  behind  a  black 
promontory.  Where  the  river  flowed  around 
the  western  promontory,  it  was  wholly  in  shadow, 
and  of  a  deep  sea-green.  A  scanty  growth  of 
coniferous  trees  fringed  the  brink  of  the  lower 
cliffs,  overhanging  the  river.  Dead  barrenness 
is  the  whole  sentiment  of  the  scene. 

My  tent  was  pitched  upon  the  edge  of  a  cliff, 
directly  overhanging  the  rapids.  From  my  door 
I  looked  over  the  edge  of  the  falls,  and,  when- 
•  ever  the  veil  of  mist  was  blown  aside,  I  could  see 
for  a  mile  down  the  river.  At  the  very  brink  of 
the  fall  a  few  twisted  evergreens  cling  with  their 
roots  to  the  rock,  and  lean  over  the  abyss  of  foam 
with  something  of  that  air  of  fatal  fascination 
which  is  apt  to  take  possession  of  men. 

In  plan,  the  fall  recurves  up-stream  in  a  deep 
horseshoe,  resembling  the  outline  of  Niagara. 
The  total  breadth  is  about  seven  hundred  feet, 
and  the  greatest  height  of  a  single  fall  about  one 
hundred  and  ninety.  Among  the  islands  above 
the  brink  are  several  beautiful  cascades,  where 
portions  of  the  river  pour  over  in  lace-like  forms. 
The  whole  mass  of  the  fall  is  one  ever-varying 
sheet  of  spray.  In  the  early  spring,  when  swollen 
by  the  rapidly  melted  snows,  the  river  pours  over 
with  something  like  the  grand  volume  of  Niag- 
ara, but  at  the  time  of  my  visit,  it  was  wholly 
white  foam.  The  river  below  the  falls  is  very 
deep.  The  right  bank  sinks  into  the  water  in  a 
clear,  sharp  precipice,  but  on  the  left  side  a  nar- 
row, pebbly  beach  extends  along  the  foot  of  the 
cliff.  From  the  top  of  the  wall,  at  a  point  a 
quarter  of  a  mile  below  the  falls,  a  stream  has 
gradually  worn  a  little  stairway  down  to  the 
river :  thick  growths  of  evergreens  have  huddled 
together  in  this  ravine.  Under  the  influence  of 
the  cool  shadow  of  the  cliffs  and  the  pines,  and 
constant  percolating  of  surface-waters,  a  rare  fer- 
tility is  developed  in  the  ravines  opening  upon 
the  shore  of  the  canon.  A  luxuriance  of  ferns 
and  mosses,  an  almost  tropical  wealth  of  green 
leaves  and  velvety  carpeting  line  the  banks. 
There  are  no  rocks  at  the  base  of  the  fall.  The 
sheet  of  foam  plunges  almost  vertically  into  a 
dai'k,  beryl-green,  lake-like  expanse  of  the  river. 
Immense  volumes  of  foam  roll  up  from  the  cata- 
ract-base, and,  whirling  about  in  the  eddying 
winds,  rise  often  a  thousand  feet  into  the  air. 
When  the  wind  blows  down  the  canon,  a  gray 
mist  obscures  the  river  for  half  a  mile;  and 
when,  as  is  usually  the  case  in  the  afternoon,  the 
breezes  blow  eastward,  the  foam-cloud  curls  over 
the  brink  of  the  fall,  and  hangs  like  a  veil  over 
the  upper  river.  The  incessant  roar,  reinforced 
by  a  thousand  echoes,  fills  the  canon.  From  out 
this  monotone,  from  time  to  time,  rise  strange, 
wild  sounds,  and  now  and  then  may  be  heard  a 
slow,  measured  beat,  not  unlike  the  recurring  fall 
of  breakers.  From  the  white  front  of  the  cata- 


170 


ract  the  eye  constantly  wanders  up  to  the  black, 
frowning  parapet  of  lava.  The  actual  edge  is 
usually  formed  of  irregular  blocks  and  prisms  of 
lava,  poised  upon  their  ends  in  an  unstable  equi- 
librium, ready  to  be  tumbled  over  at  the  first 
leverage  of  the  frost.  Hardly  an  hour  passes 
without  the  sudden  boom  of  one  of  those  rock- 
masses  falling  upon  the  ragged  debris  piled  below. 

After  sleeping  on  the  nightmareish  brink  of 
the  falls,  it  was  no  small  satisfaction  to  climb 
out  of  the  Dantean  gulf  and  find  myself  once 
more  upon  a  pleasantly  prosaic  foreground  of 
sage.  Nothing  more  effectually  banishes  the 
melotragic  state  of  the  mind  than  the  obtrusive 
ugliness  and  abominable  smell  of  this  plant. 
From  my  feet  a  hundred  miles  of  it  stretched 
eastward.  A  half-hour's  walk  took  me  out  of 
sight  of  the  canon,  and  as  the  wind  blew  west- 
ward, only  occasional,  indistinct  pulsations  of  the 
fall  could  be  heard. 

I  walked  for  an  hour,  following  an  old  Indian 
trail  which  occasionally  approached  within  see- 
ing distance  of  the  river,  and  then,  apparently 
quite  satisfied,  diverged  again  into  the  desert. 
When  about  four  miles  from  the  Shoshone,  it 
bent  abruptly  to  the  north,  and  led  to  the  edge  of 
the  canon.  Here  again  the  narrow  gorge  widened 
into  a  broad  theater,  surrounded  as  before  by 
black,  vertical  walls,  and  crowded  over  its  whole 
surface  by  rude  piles  and  ridges  of  volcanic  rock. 
The  river  entered  it  from  the  east  through  a 
magnificent  gateway  of  basalt,  and,  having 
reached  the  middle,  flows  on  either  side  of  a  low, 
rocky  island,  and  plunges  in  two  falls  into  a 
deep,  green  basin.  A  very  singular  ridge  of  the 
basalt  projects  like  an  arm  almost  across  the 
river,.inclosing  within  its  semi-circle  a  bowl  three 
hundred  feet  in  diameter  and  two  hundred  feet 
deep.  Within  this  the  water  was  of  the  same 
peculiar  beryl-green,  dappled  here  and  there  by 
masses  of  foam  which  swim  around  and  around 
with  a  spiral  tendency  toward  the  center.  To  the 
left  of  the  island  half  the  river  plunges  off  an  over- 
hanging lip,  and  falls  about  150  feet,  the  whole  vol- 
ume reaching  the  surface  of  the  basin  many  feet 
from  the  wall.  The  other  half  of  the  river  has 
worn  away  the  edge,  and  descends  in  a  tumbling 
cascade  at  an  angle  of  about  forty-five  degrees. 

The  cliffs  around  the  upper  cataract  are  infe- 
rior to  those  of  the  Shoshone.  While  the  level 
of  the  upper  plain  remains  nearly  the  same,  the 
river  constantly  deepens  the  channel  in  its  west- 
ward course. 

By  dint  of  hard  climbing  I  reached  the  actual 
brink  in  a  few  places,  and  saw  the  canon  succes- 
sively widening  and  narrowing,  its  walls  here 
and  there  approaching  each  other  and  standing 
like  the  pillars  of  a  gateway;  the  river  alter- 
nately flowing  along  smooth,  placid  reaches  of 
level,  and  then  rushing  swiftly  down  rocky  cas- 
cades. Here  and  there  along  the  cliff  are  dis- 
closed the  mouths  of  black  caverns,  where  the 


lava  seems  to  have  been  blown  up  in  the  form  of 
a  great  blister,  as  if  the  original  flow  had  poured 
over  some  pool  of  water,  and  the  hot  rock,  con- 
verting it  into  steam,  had  been  blown  up  bubble- 
like  by  its  immense  expansion.  I  continued  my 
excursions  along  the  canon  to  the  west  of  the 
Shoshone.  About  a  mile  below  the  fall,  a  very 
fine  promontory  juts  sharply  out  from  the  wall, 
and  projects  nearly  to  the  middle  of  the  canon. 
Climbing  with  difficulty  along  its  toppling  crest, 
I  reached  a  point  which  I  found  composed  of 
immense,  angular  fragments  piled  up  in  danger- 
ous poise.  Looking  eastward,  the  battlemented 
rocks  around  the  falls  limited  the  view ;  but 
westward  I  could  see  down  long  reaches  of  river, 
where  islands  of  trachyte  rose  above  white  cas- 
cades. A  peculiar  and  fine  effect  is  noticeable 
upon  the  river  during  all  the  midday.  The 
shadow  of  the  southern  cliff  is  cast  down  here 
and  there,  completely  darkening  the  river,  but 
often  defining  itself  upon  the  water.  The  con- 
trast between  the  rich,  gem-like  green  of  the  sun- 
lit portions  and  the  deep-violet  shadow  of  the 
cliff  is  of  extreme  beauty.  The  Snake  River, 
deriving  its  volume  wholly  from  the  melting  of 
the  mountain  snows,  is  a  direct  gauge  of  the  an- 
nual advance  of  the  sun.  In  June  and  July 
it  is  a  tremendous  torrent,  carrying  a  full  half  of 
the  Columbia.  From  the  middle  of  July  it  con- 
stantly shrinks,  reaching  its  minimum  in  mid- 
winter. At  the  lowest,  it  is  a  river  equal  to  the 
Sacramento  or  Connecticut. 


Near  the  "City  of  Rocks "  Station,  in  the 
Goose  Creek  Mountains,  are  found  the  "  Giant 
Rocks,"  and  over  the  little  rise  is  the  place  that 
gives  the  name  to  the  station.  Dotting  the 
plains  are  thousands  of  singular  rocks,  on  which 
the  weary  pilgrims  of  1849,  have  written  their 
names  in  cart-grease  paint.  The  old  Cali- 
fornia road  is  still  seen,  but  now  overgrown 
with  rank  weeds.  The  view  as  you  descend 
from  the  summit  is  sublime.  Far  away  in  the 
distance  loom  up  the  Salmon  River  Mountains, 
distant  125  miles,  and  in  the  intervening  space 
winds  the  valley  of  the  Snake  River. 

Kelton  has  from  250  to  300  inhabitants,  nearly 
all  supported  by  the  Idaho  trade,  though  it  will 
eventually  have  some  mining  trade,  as  the  recent 
discovery  of  mines  in  the  Black  Pine  District,  25 
miles  north,  will  have  an  influence  in  this  direc- 
tion. Kelton  is  the  nearest  railroad  station  to 
these  mines,  and  parties  desiring  to  visit  them 
will  leave  the  cars  here. 

Idaho  Territory. — This  is  one  of  the 
smallest  of  the  Territories,  as  now  constituted, 
and  claims  a  population  of  about  15,000  people. 
There  are  three  public  lines  of  conveyance  which 
lead  into  the  Territory,  or  rather  two,  as  one  of 
them  passes  entirely  through  it.  The  stage  line 
from  Kelton  passes  the  City  of  Rocks,  and 


171 


within  ten  miles  of  the  Great  Shoshone  Falls,  to 
Dalles  in  Oregon,  by  way  of  Boise  City,  250  miles 
out ;  thence  to  Baker  City,  Oregon,  400  miles ; 
to  Union,  435  miles ;  to  La  Grande,  450  miles  ; 
to  Unatilla,  510  miles,  and  to  Walla  Walla,  530 
miles.  At  Boise  City  the  line  connects  with 
stages  for  Idaho  City,  Centerville,  Placerville  and 
Silver  City.  Boise  City  is  the  territorial  capital, 
a  city  said  to  contain  3,500  people,  and  located 
on  the  Boise  River.  There  is  not  much  agri- 
cultural land  in  the  Territory,  but  a  few  of  the 
valleys  are  cultivated  and  produce  excellent 
crops  of  wheat,  barley  and  oats,  with  potatoes 
and  all  kinds  of  vegetables.  Crops  are  raised  by 


are  quite  a  large  number  of  Chinese  in  the  Ter- 
ritory, mostly  engaged  in  placer  and  gulch  min- 
ing. They  are  industrious  and  frugal  and  will 
frequently  make  money  from  claims  that  have 
been  abandoned  as  worthless  by  white  men.  So 
far  as  developed,  the  Territory  has  some  rich 
mines,  and  those  in  the  Atlantic  District  are  be- 
coming somewhat  noted.  It  is  claimed  that  the 
richest  known  gold  mine  in  the  country  at  pres- 
ent, is  in  this  district.  In  addition  to  the  sup- 
plies, etc.,  shipped  from  Winnemucca,  over 
6,000,000  pounds  of  freight  were  shipped  from 
Kelton  Station  to  this  Territory  in  1875,  and 
more  than  this  amount  will  be  shipped  the  pres- 


VIEW  LOOKING  DOWN  THE  SHOSHONE  FALLS. 


irrigation.  Boise  Valley,  the  settled  portion  of 
it,  is  about  60  miles  long  and  four  miles  wide, 
and  is  the  most  thickly  settled  of  any  of  the 
valleys  in  the  Territory.  The  nights  are  so  cool 
and  the  altitude  of  the  valleys  is  so  great  that  ex- 
periments in  corn  raising  have  not,  thus  far, 
turned  out  very  well.  The  second  line  of  public 
conveyance  spoken  of,  runs  from  Winnemucca  to 
Silver  City. 

It  is  claimed  that  this  town  is  equal  in  popu- 
lation to  Boise  City.  It  is  sustained  by  the 
mines  located  near  it.  At  Rattlesnake  Station 
there  is  also  a  connecting  stage  line  for  Rocky 
Bar,  a  mining  camp,  near  which  placer  and 
gulch  diggings  have  been  discovered.  There 


ent  year.  Much  of  it  has  been,  and  will  be, 
mining  machinery.  A  railroad  through  the  Ter- 
ritory is  much  needed,  will  aid  greatly  in  the 
development  of  its  mines,  and  will  be  a  paying 
investment  from  the  start,  or,  at  least,  in  a  very 
short  time  after  its  completion.  The  Snake  and 
Salmon  Rivers  are  among  its  principal  streams. 
The  Snake  River  rises  in  the  mountains  of  the 
Yellowstone  Region,  and  flows  entirely  through 
the  Territory  from  east  to  west,  and  forms  one  of 
the  tributaries  to  the  Columbia  River  of  Oregon. 
The  scenery  along  its  valley  is  varied,  but  in 
some  places  is  grand.  Idaho  also  has  immense 
ranges  where  a  large  number  of  cattle  are  grazed 
both  winter  and  summer,  without  hay.  The  stock 


172 


interest  is  rapidly  becoming  one  of  the  principal 
features  of  the  Territory.  Its  future  prosperity, 
however,  depends  largely  upon  the  development 
of  its  mining  interests. 

Leaving  Kelton,  the  road  soon  turns  to  the  left, 
and,  rising  a  heavy  grade,  reaches  the  divide  be- 
tween the  Great  Salt  Lake  and  the  valley  beyond. 
The  mountains  for  a  distance  are  on  our  right, 
while,  from  the  left,  a  magnificent  view  of  the 
western  arm  of  the  lake  can  be  obtained.  Be- 
tween the  road  and  the  lake  are  extensive  salt 
plains,  which  in  the  sun  glisten  like  burnished 
silver,  while  beyond  are  the  green  waters  of  this 
inland  sea.  Going  up  this  grade,  you  will  notice 
a  ledge  of  rocks  on  the  left  side  of  the  track, 
the  lower  end  of  which  has  been  tunneled  by  the 
wind,  forming  a  natural  aperture  like  an  open 
arch.  We  soon  turn  to  the  right,  leave  the  lake 
behind  us  and  wind  along  the  side  of  the  mount- 
ain. A  dreary  salt  marsh  or  alkali  plain  is  now 
seen  on  the  left,  and  the  low,  isolated  hill  on  the 
shore,  which  for  a  time  obscured  our  vision  is 
passed,  giving  us  another  view  of  the  lake  in  the 
distance,  and  the  mountains  of  the  Wahsatch 
and  Oquirrh  Ranges  beyond,  as  far  as  the  eye 
can  reach.  Passing  through  a  rocky  cut  from  a 
projecting  spur  of  the  range  we  are  passing,  and 
looking  to  the  right,  a  beautiful  conical  dome 
rises  up,  as  a  grim  sentinel  to  guard  the  way. 

Ontbey, — simply  a  side  track  in  the  midst  of 
a  heavy  gravel  cut,  778  miles  from  San  Fran- 
cisco, with  an  elevation  of  4,721  feet.  At  Kelton 
we  were  but  little  above  the  elevation  of  Salt 
Lake,  4,223  feet,  and  we  are  500  feet  higher  here 
than  when  we  left  that  place,  the  distance  be- 
tween the  two  being  about  11  miles.  From  the 
frequent  views  of  the  Great  American  Desert 
which  the  traveler  can  obtain  while  passing  over 
this  portion  of  the  road,  he  can  form  some  idea 
of  its  utter  barrenness  and  desolation,  and  the 
great  sufferings  of  those  who  have  attempted  to 
cross  it  without  adequate  preparation,-  and  the 
consequent  burning  thirst  they  and  their  animals 
have  endured. 

Matlin, — only  a  side  track,  768  miles  from 
San  Francisco ;  elevation,  4,597  feet. 

Terrace, — a  railroad  town  on  the  edge  of  the 
Great  American  Desert.  It  is  757  miles  from 
San  Francisco,  with  an  elevation  of  4,544  feet. 
Here  is  a  ten-stall  roundhouse,  and  the  machine 
and  repair  shops  of  the  Salt  Lake  Division  of 
the  Central  Pacific  Railroad.  Mr.  R.  H.  Pratt, 
with  headquarters  at  Ogden,  is  Superintendent 
of  this  Division,  which  extends  from  that  place 
to  Toano  in  Nevada.  The  town  has  about  300 
people,  which  includes  not  only  the  railroad  men 
and  their  families,  but  those  who  are  here  for  the 
purpose  of  trade  and  traffic  with  them.  The 
water  tank  here,  as  at  a  good  many  stations  on 
this  road,  is  supplied  with  water  brought  through 
pipes  from  the  springs  in  the  mountains. 

The  town  has  two  or  three  stores,  saloons  and 


an  eating-house,  where  railroad  men  and  emi- 
grants take  their  meals.  It  depends  wholly  on 
its  local  trade  at  present ;  but  the  discovering 
and  opening  of  the  Rosebud  Mines,  about  10 
miles  north,  will  tend  to  increase  its  business,  if 
they  are  developed.  Terrace  is  the  railroad  sta- 
tion for  the  mines  in  the  Newfoundland  District, 
some  18  miles  south.  Miners  for  either  of  the 
above  named  districts,  will  leave  the  cars  at  this 
station.  There  are  no  stage  lines  to  them,  as 
yet,  but  private  conveyances  can  be  readily  ob- 
tained. The  desert  with  its  dreary  loneliness — 
a  barren  waste — still  continues. 

Leaving  Terrace  we  have  over  20  miles  of 
straight  road  over  which  we  soon  pass.  A  spur 
of  the  Goose  Creek  Range  of  Mountains  puts 
down  on  our  right,  while  Silver  Islet  Mountain 
rises  out  of  the  alkali  plain  on  our  left,  and 
Pilot's  Peak,  one  of  the  lofty  mountains  of 
Nevada,  and  a  noted  landmark  for  many  a  weary 
pilgrim  across  the  desert,  looms  up  in  the  south- 
west. 

Bovine, — an  unimportant  station,  with  side 
track  for  the  convenience  of  passing  trains,  747 
miles  from  San  Francisco,  with  an  elevation  of 
4,347  feet.  On  our  right  are  broken  mountains, 
while  there  is  an  isolated  peak  one  side  of  which 
seems  to  have  settled  away  from  the  other,  leav- 
ing it  very  rough  and  ragged.  Next  we  come  to 

Lucin, — 734  miles  from  San  Francisco,  with 
an  elevation  of  4,486  feet  above  the  sea.  Be- 
yond Lucin,  a  short  distance,  we  strike  Grouse 
Creek,  which  rises  in  the  hills  north.  This  creek 
usually  sinks  in  the  sandy  desert,  and  no  water 
in  it  crosses  the  railroad,  except  in  the  spring 
when  the  snows  are  melting.  On  the  right,  east 
of  the  hills,  and  north  of  Lucin  about  4  1-2  miles, 
are  the  Owl  Springs  which  have  an  abundance 
of  water.  As  we  enter  the  pass  in  this  low  range 
of  hills,  we  lose  sight  of  Silver  Islet  Mountains, 
and  the  range  close  to  the  track  is  called  the 
Pilot  Range,  or  by  the  miners,  Buel  Range,  after 
Buel  City.  Leaving  Grouse  Creek  on  our  right, 
the  road  leads  to  the  left  again,  and  we  enter 
the  Thousand  Spring  Valley.  It  virtually  unites 
with  the  Grouse  Valley,  though  its  waters  usu- 
ally sink  in  the  sand  before  they  reach  those  of 
the  creek  mentioned.  As  we  near  Tecoma,  the 
traveler  will  notice  a  small  granite  monument  on 
the  left  side  of  the  track,  near  the  summit  of  the 
grade,  supported  by  a  heap  of  stones.  This  mon- 
ument marks  the  Nevada  State  line  and  passing 
it,  we  enter  the  land  of  the  "  big  bonanzas." 

Tecoma, — Nevada,  724  miles  from  San  Fran- 
cisco, with  an  elevation  of  4,812  feet.  This  is 
the  nearest  railroad  station  to  the  celebrated 
Tecoma  Mines,  one  owned  by  Rowland  & 
Aspinwall  of  New  York,  and  the  other  owned 
by  a  London  company, — both  mines  bearing  the 
same  name.  Tecoma  is  the  railroad  station  for 
Lucin  Mining  District,  and  stages  leave  here 
every  morning  for  Buel  City,  the  mining  town 


173 


of  the  district,  six  miles  south,  in  the  foot  hills  of 
the  range.  It  is  the  nearest  railroad  station 
also,  to  the  Deep  Creek  District,  90  miles  due 
south.  The  Goose  Creek  and  Delano  Districts 
have  recently  been  opened  about  35  miles  north 
of  this  place  and  are  said  to  contain  rich  pros- 
pects. The  formation,  however,  is  very  much 
broken,  and  affords  strong  evidences  of  a  mighty 
upheaval  sometime.  Within  a  mile  or  two  of 
the  town,  north,  a  good  view  of  the  Thousand 
Spring  Valley  is  obtained  with  its  pasturage  and 
hay  lands.  Tecoma  has  two  or  three  stores, 
saloon,  dwellings,  etc.,  and  will  soon  have  a 
smelting  works.  It  has  a  population  of  from  50 
to  100 ;  and  the  most  of  its  business  is  with  the 
mines  and  cattle  men.  Stock-yards  convenient 
for  shipping  cattle  have  been  erected  here. 
There  is  a  fine  grazing  country  off  to  the  north, 
where  large  herds  of  cattle  are  kept,  and  this 
has  come  to  be  a  prominent  business  of  this  part 
of  the  country.  As  we  approach  Tecoma,  on 
our  left  a  bluff  peak  with  perpendicular  walls 
closes  the  northern  end  of  Pilot  Range,  while 
Pilot  Peak  towers  up  to  the  heavens  at  the 
southern  extremity.  It  is  20  miles  from  Tecoma 
to  the  base  of  this  peak,  though  it  does  not  seem 
half  that  distance.  Tecoma  is  also  the  railroad 
station  for  the  Silver  Islet  Mining  District,  and  if 
the  mines  in  its  immediate  vicinity  are  developed, 
it  will  become  a  place  of  considerable  impor- 
tance. Leaving  Tecoma  the  railroad  continues 
over  a  sage  brush  and  greasewood  plain  to  the 
left  of  the  valley,  with  a  part  of  the  old  Union 
Pacific  grade  on  the  right,  and  as  we  approach 
the  next  range  of  hills  or  mountains,  we  have  a 
fine  broadside  view  of  grand  old  Pilot  Peak,  and 
do  not  wonder  at  its  prominence,  or  the  great  re- 
gard in  which  it  was  held  by  the  emigrants  across 
this  dreary  desert. 

Motitello, — 715  miles  from  San  Francisco, 
with  an  elevation  of  5,010  feet.  At  this  station 
is  a  large  water-tank  supplied  with  water  from 
a  spring  in  the  mountains  on  the  right,  some  ten 
miles  away.  The  mountain  ranges  this  side  of 
Ogden  run  from  north  to  south,  parallel  with 
each  other,  and  the  railroad  crosses  them  over 
low  divides  or  passes,  while  the  plains  of  the 
desert  lay  between  them.  To  our  right  a 
point  of  the  Pequop  Range  approaches  the 
track,  and  shuts  out  our  view  of  the  Old  Pilot, 
as  we  pass  up  the  grade,  and  into  the  narrow 
defile. 

It  is  generally  understood  that  the  mines  of 
the  Pilot  Range  are  quite  extensive,  and  that  the 
ore,  though  of  rather  low  grade,  is  nevertheless 
to  be  found  in  large  quantities  and  is  quite  ac- 
cessible. Buel  City  has  a  smelter  erected  which 
has  reduced  considerable  ore. 

Loray, — nearly  on  the  summit  of  the  divide. 
It  is  704  miles  from  San  Francisco,  with  an  ele- 
vation of  about  5,960  feet.  It  is  a  station  of  no 
particular  importance  to  travelers.  Wood  and 


timber,  cut  in  the  mountains  for  the  use  of  the 
road,  is  delivered  here. 

Toano, — 698  miles  from  San  Francisco,  with 
an  elevation  of  5,973  feet — the  western  terminus 
of  the  Salt  Lake  Division  of  the  Central  Pacific, 
and  nearly  183  miles  from  Ogden.  Toano  has 
a  roundhouse  with  six  stalls  and  an  adjoining 
shed  where  two  engines  can  be  sheltered.  It 
has  the  usual  side  tracks,  coal-sheds  and  build- 
ings for  the  transaction  of  the  business  of  the 
company.  The  town  has  about  250  people. 

The  following  mining  districts  are  tributary  to 
this  place,  and  transact  the  most  of  their  busi- 
ness here  :  Silver  Zone,  distant  20  miles,  mines 
mostly  milling  ore ;  Dolly  Varden,  55  miles ; 
Cherry  Creek,  100  miles ;  Egan  Canon,  105 
miles;  Shellburn,  110  miles;  Mineral  City,  130 
miles ;  Ward,  140  miles.  They  are  all  south  of 
the  railroad,  and  connected  with  Toano  by  a 
good  wagon  road,  though  there  are  no  mails  car- 
ried by  this  route.  A  great  deal  of  freight  is 
carried  to  the  mines,  and  ore  and  bullion  hauled 
back.  The  road  is  destitute  of  water  for  a  consid- 
erable part  of  the  way,  and  wells,  at  a  great  ex- 
pense, have  been  dug  in  some  places,  from  which 
water  is  sold  to  freighters.  The  ore  from  some 
of  the  mines  in  these  districts  is  very  rich. 
Twenty  cars  of  ore  from  the  Paymaster  Mine  in 
the  Ward  District  were  shipped  from  here  in 
January,  1876,  nineteen  of  which  averaged  about 
$800  per  ton,  and  one  car  averaged  a  little  over 
$1,000  per  ton,  net.  Not  only  the  Ward,  but 
others  in  this  region  are  regarded  as  prosperous 
mining  camps.  In  1875,  from  800  to  1,000  tons 
of  base  bullion  were  shipped  from  this  place,  the 
product  of  these  mines.  The  valleys  south  have 
good  ranges  for  stock,  and  some  of  them,  as  the 
Steptoe  Valley,  produce  excellent  crops  of  small 
grain  and  vegetables.  The  Toano  Range  of 
Mountains  runs  from  north  to  south,  and  heads 
near  this  place.  On  the  road  to  Pioche,  about 
180  miles  from  Toano,  and  about  half  a  mile 
from  the  road,  is  the  Mammoth  Cave  of  Nevada. 
It  has  been  partially  explored,  but  its  extent  is 
not  known.  Beautiful  specimens  of  stalactites 
and  crystals  have  been  found  here,  and  the 
tourist  would  be  highly  interested  in  a  visit  to 
this  cave,  which  in  a  short  time  must  become  a 
place  of  public  resort. 

North  of  Toano,  the  Goose  Creek  Range  of 
Mountains,  which  divides  Goose  Creek  and  Thou- 
sand Spring  Valley,  are  plainly  visible.  The  Sal- 
mon Falls  copper  mines,  on  Salmon  Falls  River, 
are  about  60  miles  north,  and  are  known  to  be 
rich  in  copper. 

Abput  20  miles  south  of  the  town,  a  road  to  the 
Deep  Creek  Mining  District  branches  off  from 
the  Pioche  road,  and  part  of  the  business  of  that 
mining  camp  is  done  here.  The  country  imme- 
diately around  Toano  is  barren  and  desolate  in 
appearance — not  very  inviting  to  the  traveler  or 
settler. 


174 


On  leaving  Toano  we  have  an  up  grade  to 
Moore's  Station,  about  30  miles.  In  the  winter 
great  difficulty  is  experienced  with  snow  over 
this  distance,  and  in  the  summer  the  route  is  ex- 
tremely beautiful  and  picturesque.  Just  west  of 
the  town,  on  the  right,  the  low  hills  are  covered 
with  a  scattering  growth  of  scrub  pines  and  ce- 
dars. The  Pequop  Range  juts  up  to  the  town 
on  the  south,  while  on  the  north  may  still  be 
seen  the  mountains  of  the  Goose  Creek  Range. 
The  road  between  this  point  and  Wells  is  undu- 
lating, and  full  of  short  curves  and  heavy  grades. 
Six  snow  sheds  are  passed,  in  rapid  succession. 
As  we  look  off  to  the  right,  the  hill  seems  to  de- 
scend into  a  large  valley,  with  a  range  of  mount- 
ains beyond.  It  is  a  dry,  sage  brush  valley  and 
continues  in  sight  until  we  pass  Independence. 

JPequop, — 689  miles  from  San  Francisco, 
with  an  elevation  of  6,184  feet.  It  is  simply  a 
side  track,  at  which  passenger  trains  do  not  stop. 
Passing  this,  we  next  reach  the  Otego  telegraph 
station,  which  is  only  used  in  winter,  to  give  no- 
tice of  snow-blocked  trains,  etc. 

Dead  Man's  Sprint/. — About  five  miles 
from  Pequop,  in  the  low  hills  off  to  the  right  of 
the  track,  is  a  spring  which  bears  the  above  sug- 
gestive title.  In  the  spring  of  1873,  the  body  of 
a  dead  man  was  found  near  it,  with  a  bullet  hole 
through  his  skull.  The  decomposition  of  the 
body  had  advanced  so  far  that  it  was  past 
recognition,  and  the  questions  as  to  who  he  was, 
and  how  he  came  to  be  killed,  were  not  likely  to 
be  solved.  In  short,  the  man  and  his  tragic  end 
were  wrapped  in  great  mystery.  The  old  adage, 
however,  that  "  murder  will  out,"  was  again  veri- 
fied in  this  case.  It  seems  that  a  large  drove  of 
cattle  came  into  this  region  of  country,  in  the 
fall  of  1872,  and  that  two  of  the  herders  em- 
ployed— one  a  Mexican,  and  the  other  a  white 
man,  were  paid  off  near  Wells,  and  started  back 
for  Colorado,  where  they  were  first  employed. 
They  camped  together  one  night  at  this  spring, 
and  the  next  morning  one  was  left  cold  and 
stark  upon  the  bosom  of  mother  earth,  while  the 
other,  the  Mexican,  went  on  and  in  due  time 
arrived  in  Denver,  Col.  He  had  murdered 
his  companion,  robbed  him  of  his  money,  his 
watch  and  his  horse,  and  with  his  plunder,  with 
no  one  to  witness  the  deed,  thought  himself  se- 
cure. But  a  brother  of  the  murdered  man  lived 
in  Denver,  and  hearing  nothing  from  the  absent 
one  for  a  long  time,  became  somewhat  alarmed 
about  him,  and  began  to  institute  inquiries  and 
to  search  for  his  companion.  His  efforts  were 
soon  rewarded,  and  in  a  short  time  he  heard  that 
the  Mexican, — who  was  known  to  have  accom- 
panied his  brother  in  driving  the  herd  to  Neva- 
da,— had  returned,  and  had  been  seen  in  Denver. 
Furthermore,  it  was  supposed  that  he  had  not 
left  that  city,  and  could  be  found  somewhere  in 
its  immediate  vicinity.  His  trail  was  finally 
struck,  and  followed  until  he  was  found.  His 


account  of  the  missing  man  was  so  confused,  and 
his  different  stories  so  conflicting  and  improb- 
able, that  he  was  arrested  and  searched.  The 
search  revealed  the  watch  and  other  trinkets  of 
the  murdered  man,  which  were  at  once  recognized 
by  his  brother.  His  horse  was  also  found.  The 
Mexican,  now  thoroughly  suspected,  was  closely 
questioned,  and  the  evidence  against  him  was  so 
strong,  that,  while  confined  in  jail,  he  confessed 
the  crime.  This  so  exasperated  the  friends  of 
the  murdered  man  that  they  determined  upon 
vengeance,  and  immediately  organized  to  secure 
the  death  of  the  culprit.  The  villain  was  taken 
from  his  cell  in  the  jail  one  night,  and  found  the 
next  morning  hanging  to  a  telegraph  pole.  Thus 
was  the  spring  named. 

Otego, — station  and  side  track,  which  is  688 
miles  from  San  Francisco,  with  an  elevation  of 
6,154  feet.  The  tourist  may  enjoy  a  magnificent 
view  of  hills  and  mountains,  valleys  and  dales, 
as  we  pass  on  over  some  of  the  reverse  curves  in 
the  road.  The  old  Union  Pacific  grade  is  still 
seen  in  patches,  on  our  right.  Pequop  Range, 
with  Independence  Valley,  now  looms  grandly 
into  view  on  our  left,  as  we  arrive  at 

Independence, — 676  miles  from  San  Fran- 
cisco, with  an  elevation  of  6,007  feet.  We  are 
now  crossing  a  low  divide  between  the  valley  on 
our  right,  above  spoken  of,  and  Independence 
Valley  on  our  left.  This  station  is  on  a  heavy 
down  grade,  and  trains  going  west  seldom  stop. 
The  water  tank  is  supplied  from  springs  in  the 
low  hills  off  to  the  right,  and  the  side  track  is  a 
little  beyond  it.  We  now  pass  to  the  right 
around  an  isolated  mountain  that  seems  to 
guard  the  entrance  to  Independence  Valley, — 
and  then  to  the  left,  and  as  we  turn  to  enter  the 
pass  in  the  mountains  a  lovely  view  of  this  beau- 
tiful valley  is  again  obtained  stretching  away  as 
far  as  the  eye  can  reach.  It  is  a  great  stock 
range,  and  thousands  of  cattle  annually  feed 
upon  its  rich  nutritious  grasses.  Turning  again 
to  the  right  we  enter  what  is  called  Cedar  Pass. 
Passing  a  section-house  at  which  there  is  a  win- 
ter telegraph  station  for  use  of  snow-bound  trains, 
we  soon  reach  the  summit  of  the  divide  between 
Independence  Valley,  and  the  valley  of  the  Hum- 
boldt,  at 

Moore's, — 669  miles  from  San  Francisco, 
with  an  elevation  of  6,166  feet.  It  was  formerly 
quite  a  town  for  wood-choppers  and  frontier 
men,  when  the  railroad  was  being  built;  but 
its  glory  has  departed  and  the  stakes  and  posts 
of  a  few  houses  are  all  that  remain  to  mark  the 
spot.  Down  the  grade  we  go  into  the  far-famed 
Humboldt  Valley,  passing  Cedar,  a  side  track, 
where  a  camp  of  wood-choppers  in  the  mount- 
ains on  our  left,  deliver  their  wood. 

Wells, — 661  miles  from  San  Francisco,  with 
an  elevation  of  5,629  feet.  Just  as  we  enter  the 
town,  we  pass  the  mountain  spur  on  our 'left, 
and  Clover  Valley  bursts  into  view.  Its  name 


175 


is  significant  as  it  abounds  in  the  natural  clover 
so  well  known  in  the  Eastern  States.  The  town 
has  about  100  inhabitants,  with  roundhouse  for 
three  engines,  a  hotel,  stores,  saloon,  etc.  The 
railroad  water  tank  formerly  supplied  with  water 
pumped  from  the  wells,  a  little  west  of  the  town,  is 
now  rilled  from  a  mountain  spring  four  miles 
away. 

Humboldt  Wells  as  they  are  called,  give  celeb- 
rity to  this  place.  They  are  really  springs  about 
thirty  in  number,  situated  mostly  in  a  low  basin 
half  a  mile  west  of  the  station.  There  are  no 
evidences  of  volcanic  action  about  them  as  we 
could  perceive,  nor  does  a  crater  in  this  low 
place  seem  at  all  probable.  They  are  very 
probably  natural  springs  and  from  the  nature  of 
the  porous  soil  around  them,  they  do  not  rise  and 
flow  away  as  similar  springs  do  in  a  more  com- 
pact soil.  The  water,  by  residents  here,  is  not 
considered  brackish  at  all,  nor  is  it  particularly 
warm,  though  the  springs  have  never  been 
known  to  freeze  over.  They  are  also  called 
bottomless,  but  no  accurate  knowledge  has  yet 
been  published  in  regard  to  their  depth.  They 
are  simply  deep  springs,  but  the  opinion  is  here 
entertained  that  a  lead  and  line  would  soon 
touch  bottom  in  them.  It  was  the  great  water- 
ing place  in  times  of  the  old  emigrant  travel,  and 
at  least  three  of  these  roads  converged  to  this 
point  and  united  here.  These  were  the  Grass 
Creek,  the  Thousand  Spring  Valley  and  the 
Cedar  Pass  Roads.  Emigrants  in  those  days  al- 
ways rejoiced  when  they  had  passed  the  perils  of 
the  Great  American  Desert,  and  arrived  at  these 
springs  where  there  was  plenty  of  water,  pure 
and  sweet  and  an  abundance  of  grass  for  their 
weary  and  worn  animals.  Hence  it  was  a  favor- 
ite camping  ground.  Visitors  approaching  these 
springs  in  the  summer,  and  springing  on  the  sod 
can  fairly  shake  the  adjoining  springs,  a  fact 
that  leads  to  the  opinion  entertained  by  some, 
that  they  are  really  openings  of  a  lake,  which 
has  been  gradually  covered  over  by  the  accumu- 
lation of  grass  and  grass  roots  and  other  luxu- 
riant vegetation,  which  abounds  along  and 
around  the  basin.  The  fact  that  the  ground 
around  these  springs  is  so  elastic,  and  the  known 
incidents  in  history,  where  luxuriant  vegetation 
has  frequently  caused  islands  in  rivers  and  lakes, 
confirms  this  opinion  in  our  mind,  and  we  be- 
lieve a  thorough  investigation  will  establish  this 
theory  as  correct.  There  is  then  in  this  basin 
simply  a  covered  lake,  and  the  springs  are  open- 
ings to  it.  The  conformation  of  the  land 
around  the  basin  also  tends  to  convince  us  of  the 
truth  of  this  theory.  The  basin  is  the  receptacle 
of  the  drainage  of  a  large  water-shed,  and  there 
are  high  mountains  nearly  all  around  it.  These 
springs  abound  in  fish — the  little  minnows  that 
are  so  common  in  the  brooks  and  small  streams 
in  the  Eastern  States.  Other  kinds  there  may 
be,  but  these  only  have  been  caught.  The 


apertures  differ  in  size,  and  the  openings  to 
some  are  much  larger  than  the  openings  in 
others.  If  they  were  on  a  side-hill  every  body 
would  call  them  springs,  but  inasmuch  as  they 
are  in  a  low  basin,  they  are  called  wells.  Their 
depth  and  surroundings  also  convey  this  im- 
pression. 

Mr.  Hamill,  a  merchant  of  Wells,  says  that  he 
took  a  piece  of  railroad  iron  and  tied  some  lariat 
ropes  to  it  (about  160  feet),  and  could  find  no 
bottom  in  the  deepest  springs  which  he  sounded 
with  that  length  of  rope.  He  further  says  that 
a  government  exploring  party,  under  command 
of  Lieutenant  Cuppinger,  visited  Wells  in  1870 
and  took  soundings  of  the  springs  to  a  depth  of 
from  1,500  to  1,700  feet  and  found  no  bottom. 
These  soundings  were  of  the  largest  springs  or 
wells,  and  while  his  statement  may  be  true,  even 
soundings  to  this  depth  does  not  render  them 
bottomless. 

How  to  see  them  and  know  where  they  are,  is 
the  next  thing  of  consequence  to  the  traveler. 
As  you  pass  west  of  the  station,  notice  the  end 
of  a  piece  of  the  old  Union  Pacific  grade ;  next 
the  graves  surrounded  by  painted  fences  ;  then 
off  to  the  right  a  heap  of  stones,  where  the  en- 
gine-house was  built — the  engine  being  used  to 
force  water  from  the  well,  which  is  just  beyond 
this  heap  of  stones,  to  the  tank  along  side  of  the 
track.  The  heavy  growth  of  grass  around  the 
place  will  indicate  where  this  well  is  in  sum- 
mer, and  the  accumulated  deposits  of  this  grass 
has  raised  a  little  rim  around  this  particular 
well, — and  the  same  is  true  of  others  in  its  im- 
mediate vicinity. 

Travelers  will  take  notice  that  a  mail  and  ex- 
press stage  line  leaves  Wells  tri-weekly — Mon- 
days, Wednesdays  and  Fridays — in  the  morning, 
for  Sprucemont,  40  miles,  and  Cherry  Creek, 
95  miles  distant.  At  Cherry  Creek  this  line  con- 
nects with  stages  for  Egan  Canon,  on  the  line  of 
the  old  overland  stage  route,  Mineral  City  (Rob- 
inson District)  and  Hamilton,  the  county-seat  of 
White  Pine  County.  At  Mineral  City,  convey- 
ances can  be  easily  obtained  for  Ward's  District, 
20  miles  distant.  The  Spruce  Mountain  Mining 
District  is  said  to  contain  some  very  good  mines, 
and  a  company  has  recently  been  organized  in 
San  Francisco,  to  continue  the  work  of  develop- 
ment. Sprucemont  is  the  mining  town  of  the 
district,  and  is  beautifully  located  on  an  elevated 
bench  in  the  midst  of  groves  of  pines  and  cedars. 
It  has  a  population  of  from  50  to  100,  according 
to  the  season. 

There  are  estimated  to  be  about  40  ranches  in 
Clovev  Valley,  and  as  many  in  Ruby  Valley. 
These  ranchemen  are  engaged  in  agriculture  and 
stock  growing.  They  raise  wheat,  barley,  oats, 
and  splendid  vegetables.  Wells  has  extensive 
stock-yards,  to  accommodate  the  large  shipments 
of  cattle,  annually  made  from  these  ranches. 
The  valley  in  this  immediate  vicinity  is  the 


176 


scene  of  the  annual  "  round-ups,"  every  spring. 
Cedar  Pass  Range  is  the  range  on  our  left,  as  we 
come  through  by  Moore's  Station.  West  of  this 
range  and  south  of  Wells,  is  Clover  Valley.  The 
tourist  will  see  "  Castle  Peak "  on  the  further 
side  of  this  valley  as  the  train  pauses  at  the 
station,  and  this  peak  is  on  the  northern  end  of 
Ruby  Range,  and  it  is  always  covered  with  snow. 
Ruby  Valley  is  nearly  due  south  of  the  "  Castle  " 
which  you  see  in  the  mountain,  and  is  divided 
from  Clover  Valley  by  a  spur  of  this  range, 
which  turns  into  it  like  a  hook.  Ruby  Range  is 
about  150  miles  long,  and  we  only  see  its  north- 
ern extremity  at  Wells. 

North  of  Wells,  across  the  first  range,  lies  the 
Thousand  Spring  Valley — then  across  another 
low  divide,  you  will  strike  a  valley  whose 
waters  flow  north-west  through  the  Columbia 
River,  to  the  Pacific  Ocean.  Fishermen  will 
bear  in  mind  that  salmon  trout  are  caught  in 
this  valley  in  the  spring  of  the  year.  The 
stream  is  a  branch  of  the  Salmon  Falls  River, 
which  empties  into  Snake  River,  about  120 
miles  north  of  this  station. 

A  proposed  railroad  has  been  talked  of,  to  con- 
nect this  point  with  Callville,  on  the  Colorado 
River,  and  the  route  is  said  to  be  very  feasible. 
Wells  is  also  the  connecting  point  for  a  direct 
"  cut  off  "  to  Salt  Lake  City,  should  such  a  road 
be  built. 

It  may  be  well  to  remark  here,  that  the  mount- 
ain ranges  in  Nevada,  as  in  Utah,  generally  ex- 
tend from  north  to  south — and  the  only  exception 
to  this  rule,  is  where  there  are  broken  or  detached 
ranges,  or  isolated  peaks.  Leaving  Wells,  the 
foot  hills  on  our  left,  in  a  short  distance,  ob- 
scure a  view  of  the  high  peaks  in  the  Ruby 
Range ;  but  they  soon  reappear  as  we  pass  down 
the  valley,  and  are  our  constant  companions,  only 
a  short  distance  away,  until  we  leave  Halleck. 
Between  the  Humboldt  River  and  the  base  of 
these  mountains,  there  is  an  elevated  bench  cov- 
ered with  the  usual  sage  brush  and  greasewood, 
while  in  the  valley  and  along  the  borders  of  the 
stream,  grass  land  predominates.  An  exten- 
sive stock-dealer,  when  asked  about  the  quali- 
fications, etc.,  for  growing  cattle,  said  that 
"  there  was  about  one  acre  of  grass  to  seventy- 
five  acres  of  sage  brush,"  and  a  limited  observa- 
tion of  this  part  of  the  State,  at  least,  proves 
that  he  was  not  far  out  of  the  way.  As  we  de- 
scend the  river,  however,  a  gradual  increase  in 
grass  lands  will  be  observed,  while  in  places,  the 
greasewood  which,  so  far  as  we  know,  is  entirely 
useless,  grows  in  astonishing  luxuriance. 

Tulasco,  —  654  miles  from  San  Francisco, 
with  an  elevation  of  5,482  feet.  The  valley  seems 
to  widen  out  as  we  descend  it,  and  bushes  grow 
in  bunches  along  the  banks  of  the  stream  as  if 
the  old  earth,  under  the  most  favorable  conditions, 
was  trying  to  produce  trees  to  beautify  and  adorn 
these  barren  plains.  Soon  Bishop's  Valley  can 


be  seen  on  our  right.  Looking  to  the  left,  we 
see  the  canon  in  the  mountain  side,  down  which 
rushes  Trout  Creek,  when  the  snows  are  melting 
in  the  spring  and  early  summer.  This  creek 
abounds  in  "  speckled  beauties,"  and  unites  with 
the  Humboldt  about  a  mile  and  a  half  below 
Bishop's  Creek,  which  we  soon  cross,  through  a 
covered  bridge. 

Bishop's — is  another  side  track  station,  but 
on  we  glide  through  the  valley  as  it  widens  out 
into  magnificent  proportions.  It  is  649  miles 
from  San  Francisco,  and  has  an  elevation  of 
5,412  feet.  Another  little  creek  and  valley  now 
appear  on  our  right,  and  we  soon  arrive  at 

Deeth, — 642  miles  from  San  Francisco ;  ele- 
vation, 5,340  feet.  It  is  a  telegraph  station,  and 
has  a  few  buildings  around  it.  The  valley  seems 
very  broad  as  we  approach  this  station,  and  evi- 
dences of  settlement  and  cultivation  begin  to 
appear.  The  bushes  and  willows  along  the 
banks  of  the  stream  increase,  and  it  is  a  para- 
dise for  ducks  and  geese. 

Halleck — is  the  next  station,  630  miles  from 
San  Francisco,  with  an  elevation  of  5,230  feet. 
It  is  named  from  Camp  Halleck,  which  is  located 
at  the  base  of  mountains,  13  miles  from  the 
station,  and  across  the  river.  A  few  troops  are 
usually  kept  here — two  or  three  companies, — 
and  all  the  freighting  and  business  of  the  post  is 
done  from  this  station.  The  town  itself  has  a 
post-office,  hotel,  a  small  store  and  the  usual  saloons 
where  "  lingering  death,"  or  "  blue  ruin,"  the  com- 
mon terms  for  whisky,  is  doled  out  to  soldiers,  and 
others  who  patronize  them.  It  is  probable  that 
good  crops  of  wheat,  barley  and  oats  could  be 
raised  here  by  irrigating  the  land,  but  it  is 
mostly  occupied  as  stock  ranges.  Camp  Halleck 
is  not  plainly  seen  from  the  railroad,  though  a 
few  buildings  a  little  removed  from  it,  will  point 
out  its  locality.  A  regular  mail  ambulance  runs 
daily  between  it  and  the  station.  Leaving 
Halleck,  Elko  Mountain  seems  to  rise  on  our 
right  close  to  the  track,  but  the  road  soon  turns 
and  we  pass  this  landmark  on  our  left.  The 
Ruby  Range  which  we  have  seen  away  to  the 
left,  from  Wells  to  the  last  station,  is  now  left  in 
the  rear  as  we  turn  westward  again,  and  pass 
down  one  of  the  Humboldt  Canons.  The  camp 
is  delightfully  located,  well  watered  and  is  sur- 
rounded with  thriving  groves  of  cottonwood 
trees. 

Peko —  is  the  next  station,  merely  a  side 
track,  and  section-house  at  the  head  of  the  first 
canon  on  the  river.  It  is  626  miles  from  San 
Francisco,  with  an  elevation  of  5,204  feet.  We 
are  now  at  the  head  of  the  Humboldt  Canon,  the 
first  one  through  which  the  river  passes.  It  is 
not  wild  and  rugged  but  nevertheless  sufficiently 
so  to  make  it  interesting.  A  short  distance  be- 
low Peko,  the  North  Fork  of  Humboldt  comes 
in.  It  is  about  as  large  as  the  main  body  and  is 
a  peculiar  stream.  It  rises  nearly  north  of  Car- 


177 


lin,  some  distance  west  of  this  point,  and  runs 
to  the  north-east  for  a  distance,  then  nearly  east, 
and  finally  turns  toward  the  south-west,  and 
unites  with  the  Humboldt  at  this  point.  The 
road  through  this  canon  is  full  of  short  curves, 
and  winds  like  a  serpent  through  the  hills. 
Now  it  seems  as  though  the  train  would  be 
thrown  into  a  heap  at  the  base  of  the  hill  we 
are  approaching,  but  a  turn  to  the  right  or 
left  saves  us  from  such  a  calamity.  Once  or 
twice  before  we  reach  Osino,  the  valley  opens 
out  between  the  hills,  and  where  the  North  Fork 
enters  there  is  an  abundance  of  grass  which  is 
monopolized  by  a  rancheman.  At  the  next 
station, 

Osino, — 614  miles  from  San  Francisco,  with 
an  elevation  of  5,132  feet, — a  mere  side  track, 
we  enter  upon  an  open  valley,  and  for  about 
nine  miles  pass  over  a  nearly  straight  track. 
The  valley  is  all  taken  up  by  ranchemen  and 
farmers,  and  good  crops  are  raised  by  irrigation. 
The  water  is  taken  from  the  Humboldt  above, 
brought  down  in  a  ditch,  from  which  it  is  taken 
and  distributed  among  the  farms. 

Elko, — 608  miles  from  San  Francisco,  with 
an  elevation  of  5,063  feet.  Jt  is  the  regular 
breakfast  and  supper  station  of  the  road,  and 
passengers  get  an  excellent  meal  in  a  neat 
house,  kept  by  Mr.  Clark,  the  most  genial 
and  accommodating  landlord  on  the  road. 
The  table  is  usually  well  supplied  with  fruits, 
fish  and  game. 

Elko  is  the  county-seat  of  Elko  County — the 
north-eastern  county  of  the  State.  It  has  a  pop- 
ulation of  about  1,200,  and  is  destined  to  become 
one  of  the  important  commercial  and  educa- 
tional centers  of  the  State.  Jt  lias  a  large  brick 
court-house  and  jail,  one  church,  an  excellent 
public  school,  and  is  the  seat  of  the  State  Uni- 
versity. This  institution  has  40  acres  of  ground 
on  a  bench  of  land  overlooking  the  city,  in  plain 
sight  of  the  cars  on  the  right,  just  before  reach- 
ing the  town.  Its  buildings  have  thus  far  cost 
about  $30,000,  and  it  was  first  opened  in  1875. 
The  money  paid  for  freights  consigned  to  this 
place  and  the  mining  districts  which  are  tribu- 
tary to  it,  in  1875  amounted  to  nearly  $400,000, 
and  the  first  year  the  railroad  was  completed 
ran  up  to  over  11,000,000.  The  town  has  nu- 
merous retail  stores  and  two  or  three  wholesale 
establishments,  with  a  bank,  a  flouring  mill, 
brewery,  hotels,  etc.  Water  taken  from  the 
Humboldt  River  some  17  miles  distant,  and 
brought  here  in  pipes,  supplies  the  city.  It  has 
three  large  freight  depots,  for  the  accommo- 
dation of  its  railroad  business,  and  is  the  loca- 
tion of  the  United  States  Land  office  for  the 
Elko  Land  District.  The  city  is  rapidly  im- 
proving, brick  and  wooden  structures  taking 
the  place  of  the  canvas  houses  that  were  formerly 
prevalent.  Altogether  it  has  a  bright  and 
promising  future.  Indians,  mostly  the  Sho- 
12 


shones,  of  all  sizes  and  of  both  sexes,  hover 
around  the  town  and  beg  from  the  trains  of 
cars.  They  still  bedaub  themselves  with  paint, 
and  strut  around  with  feathers  in  their  hats  in 
true  Indian  style. 

Elko  is  destined  to  become  famous  as  a  water- 
ing place.  About  one  and  a  half  miles  north  of 
the  river,  and  west  of  the  town,  are  a  group  of 
mineral  springs  that  are  already  attracting  the 
attention  of  invalids.  There  are  six  springs  in 
this  group,  three  hot,  and  three  cold.  The  hot 
springs  show  185°  Fahrenheit,  and  one  of  them, 
called  the  "  Chicken  Soup  Spring,"  has  water 
which,  with  a  little  salt  and  pepper  for  season- 
ing, tastes  very  much  like  chicken  broth.  We 
regret  that  no  analysis  of  the  waters  of  these 
springs  has  been  made,  which  we  could  furnish 
to  our  readers.  Tourists  in  search  of  wonderful 
curiosities  will  not  fail  to  visit  these  springs  and 
observe  the  craters  of  those  which  are  now  ex- 
tinct. The  sediment  or  incrustations  formed  by 
the  water  into  some  kind  of  porous  rock,  accu- 
mulated around  the  apertures  until  at  length 
they  were  raised,  in  one  instance,  about  three 
feet  above  the  surface  of  the  ground,  with  a  hol- 
low basin,  at  least  one  foot  in  diameter  on  the 
top.  Other  extinct  springs  are  not  as  high  as 
this  one,  but  show  the  same  formation  and  have 
the  same  peculiarities.  Of  the  hot  flowing 
springs — said  to  be  white  sulphur — two  are  quite 
large,  and  one  of  them  is  said  to  contain  a  large 
solution  of  iron.  A  bathing-house  has  been 
erected  a  short  distance  away,  to  which  the  wa- 
ter is  conducted,  and  in  which  there  are  private 
bathing-rooms  supplied  with  both  hot  and  cold 
water  from  the  springs.  There  is  also  a  large 
swimming  bath  near  by,  with  dressing-rooms  ad- 
joining. A  large  hotel  is  to  be  erected  the  pres- 
ent year  for  the  accommodation  of  guests.  There 
is  a  public  conveyance  running  between  the  city 
and  the  springs  for  thte  accommodation  of  vis- 
itors. In  the  absence  of  an  analysis  of  the 
waters  we  will  simply  state  that  they  are  claimed 
to  be  a  certain  cure  for  rheumatism  and  all  dis- 
eases of  the  blood ;  to  have  a  remarkable  effect 
in  paralytic  cases ;  to  have  a  good  effect  on  con- 
sumptives, when  the  disease  is  not  too  far  ad- 
vanced ;  to  cure  fevers  of  all  kinds,  and  the 
leaded  cases  of  miners  who  become  poisoned 
with  the  lead  disease,  by  working  among  antimo- 
nial  ores.  The  uniform  temperature  of  the 
hot  springs  has  been  further  utilized  in  hatching 
chickens,  and  the  experiment,  if  carried  to  per- 
fection, will  beat  all  the  setting  hens  in  the  coun- 
try. Poultry  breeders  will  make  a  note  of  this 
fact.  A  competent  physician  who  is  a  good 
judge  of  temperaments  and  diseases  should  be 
located  at  the  springs,  and  additional  facilities 
for  the  accommodation  of  invalids  will  make  it  a 
place  of  great  resort. 

The  following  mining  districts  are  tributary  to 
Elko,  and  will  in  the  future,  far  more  than  in 


178 


the  past,  contribute  to  its  growth  and  prosperity : 
Lone  Mountain,  30  miles  distant ;  Tuscarora,  f>0 
miles;  Grand  Junction,  55  miles;  Cornucopia, 
70  miles ;  Aurora,  80  miles ;  Bull  Run,  lately 
changed  to  Centennial,  80  miles ;  Cope,  100 
miles :  Island  Mountain  placer  diggings  and 
quartz  mines,  75  miles ;  Bruno,  80  miles ;  Hicks, 
110  miles  ;  Mardis,  100  miles.  Nearly  all  the 
business  done  in  these  mining  districts  is  trans- 
acted through  Elko,  and  adds  not  a  little  to  its 
bustling  activity.  These  districts  are  north  of 
the  town,  and  located  mostly  in  the  ranges  of 
mountains  that  border  or  lie  between  the  forks 
of  the  Owyhee  River,  a  stream  that  flows  into 
the  Snake  River  of  Idaho.  Lieutenant  Wheeler, 
in  his  report  of  the  United  States  Exploring  Ex- 
pedition, which  made  a  partial  survey  of  the 
lands  and  features  of  Nevada,  describes  this 
mineral  belt  as  about  160  miles  long,  and  as  one 
of  the  richest  in  the  country.  It  has  been  but 
partially  prospected,  however,  and  we  believe  the 
developments  which  are  now  in  progress  and 
which  are  hereafter  to  be  made,  will  astonish  the 
nation  as  to  the  unparalleled  richness  of  the 
mines  of  Nevada.  Up  to  the  spring  of  1876, 
greater  developments  had  been  made  in  the 
mines  in  Tuscarora  and  Cornucopia  Districts 
than  in  most  of  the  others.  Tuscarora  is  the 
principal  town  in  the  mining  district  of  the 
same  name.  It  has  about  500  inhabitants,  and  by 
Saptember  of  the  present  year  is  anticipated  to 
have  1,500.  The  principal  mines  of  this  district 
are  Young  America,  Young  America  North, 
Young  America  South,  Lida,  De  Frees,  Star, 
Grand  Deposit,  Syracuse  and  others.  The  most 
work  thus  far  done,  is  on  the  Young  America, 
Young  America  South,  and  De  Frees.  On  the 
first  named  of  these  three  there  is  an  inclined 
shaft  of  190  fest,  and  carries  free  ore  from  sur- 
face to  end  of  development.  In  sinking,  levels 
have  been  run  to  full  extent  of  the  ground,  800 
fest,  and  tha  ledge  is  from  20  inches  to  five  feet 
wide. 

It  is  easily  worked,  no  explosions  being  re- 
quired, and  the  ore  is  said  to  average  from  $  80  to 
$103  per  ton  in  gold  and  silver,  without  assorting. 

The  development  on  the  De  Frees  Mine  is  as 
follows :  A  tunnel  has  been  run  from  side  of 
hill  and  ledge  struck,  about  40  feet  from  the  sur- 
face ;  an  incline  shaft  has  been  sunk  from  level 
of  this  tunnel  to  a  depth  of  95  feet,  showing  fine 
ore  all  the  distance,  the  extreme  bottom  showing 
the  best  ore.  This  ore  has  averaged  from  $90 
to  $150  par  ton,  in  gold  and  silver.  Steam 
hoisting  works  have  been  erected  on  the  Young 
America,  and  a  twenty-stamp  mill  will  soon  be 
finished,  for  the  reduction  of  the  ores  from  this 
mine.  A  twenty-stamp  mill  will  soon  be  finished 
for  the  De  Frees  Mine,  and  it  is  expected  that 
these  mills  will  do  some  custom  work  for  the 
mines  being  developed  in  the  vicinity.  Other 
mines  in  the  district  are  said  to  be  very  prom- 


ising. The  mines  in  the  Tuscarora  and  Cornu- 
copia Districts  are  in  a  porphyry  formation, 
with  free  milling  ore  ;  those  in  the  Bull  Run  or 
Centennial  District  are  in  porphyry  and  lime, 
and  the  ores  have  to  be  roasted  before  they  are 
milled. 

Cornucopia  District  is  about  25  miles  north  of 
Tuscarora  District,  and  contains  a  population  of 
500.  Its  mines  are  upon  the  same  range  of 
mountains  as  the  Tuscarora.  The  principal 
mines  in  this  district  are  the  Leopard  ;  the  Pan- 
ther, the  Tiger,  the  Hussey,  and  the  Consoli- 
dated Cornucopia.  Principal  developments  are 
on  the  Leopard  and  Hussey.  The  former  has 
been  largely  opened,  and  has  been  running  a 
twenty-stamp  mill  for  the  past  year  or  more, 
producing  about  $1,000,000.  The  ore  is  said  to 
average  about  $150  per  ton,  all  silver. 

The  Centennial  District  has  a  population  of 
about  200.  Its  principal  mine  is  the  Blue 
Jacket,  which  supplies  a  twenty-stamp  mill  with 
ore.  A  Buckner  furnace  for  roasting  is  also 
used  in  connection  with  the  mill.  The  ore  is 
said  to  average  $70  per  ton,  and  the  vein  is 
very  large,  frequently  20  feet  between  the  walls. 
Other  districts  are  said  to  contain  promising 
mines,  but  miners  and  those  interested  in  mines, 
are  always  so  full  of  hope — always  expecting  to 
strike  something  rich — and  nearly  always  hav- 
ing a  good  thing  in  the  "prospects"  already 
found,  that  it  is  extremely  difficult  to  determine, 
in  a  short  investigation,  which  is  the  most  prom- 
ising district,  or  where  are  the  best  undeveloped 
mines.  In  a  developed  mine  the  daily  product 
of  bullion  will  show  what  it  is  worth. 

Elko  has  a  daily  stage  route  north,  which  car- 
ries the  mail  and  express  and  supplies  the  fol- 
lowing places  :  Taylors,  Tuscarora,  Independence 
Valley,  Grand  Junction,  Cornucopia,  Bull  Run 
and  Cope.  These  places  are  generally  north  and 
north-west  of  Elko.  At  Cope,  the  route  ends. 
There  is  a  weekly  mail,  stage  and  express  line 
to  the  Island  Mountain  District,  75  miles  due 
north.  This  is  a  placer  gold  field,  discovered 
in  1873,  and  it  is  estimated  that  $100,000  in  gold- 
dust,  were  taken  out  in  1875.  Three  miles  north 
of  the  Island  Mountain  District,  is  the  Wyoming 
District,  where  valuable  silver  mines  are  said  to 
have  been  discovered.  The  chief  lode  is  known 
as  the  Mardis,  which  is  owned  by  a  Chicago 
company.  A  stamp  mill  is  now  being  erected 
there.  The  mineral  belt  before  alluded  to,  be- 
gins at  the  north  end  of  the  Goose  Creek  Range, 
and  runs  south-west  about  160  miles.  It  is 
about  60  miles  wide.  Tuscarora  is  also  some- 
what noted  as  a  placer  field,  while  Aurora,  a 
new  district  west  of  Cornucopia,  is  said  to  be 
very  promising.  It  is  10  miles  from  the  last 
named  place  to  Aurora. 

In  the  vicinity  of  the  mining  districts  spoken 
of,  there  are  rich  agricultural  valleys  where  all 
kinds  of  grain,  but  corn,  are  extensively  raised, 


179 


MOUNTAIN  SCENE  IN  THE  RUBY  RANGE. 

and  vegetables  and  melons  grow  to  a  great  size 
and  excellence.  There  are,  also,  vast  stock 
ranges — all  of  which  are  tributary  to  Elko. 

South  from  Elko  there  is  a  semi-weekly  stage, 
mail  and  express  route  to  Bullion  City,  the  town 
of  the  Railroad  Mining  District.  This  town  has 
about  150  people,  and  is  distant  25  miles  from 
Elko.  The  ores  of  this  district  are  smelting 
ores,  and  the  town  has  two  large  furnaces  for 
the  reduction  of  this  ore.  The  principal  mines 


180 


are  owned  by  the  Empire  Company  of  New 
York. 

There  is  also  a  weekly  stage  line  into  the 
South  Fork  and  Huntington  Valleys — two  rich 
agricultural  valleys,  which  are  thickly  settled 
with  fanners  and  stockmen.  In  addition  to  the 
two  valleys  last  named,  there  are  the  Star, 
Pleasant  and  Mound  Valleys,  all  rich  agricultural 
districts,  and  all  tributary  to  Elko.  Elko  has 
one  daily  and  two  weekly  papers  which  are  well 
supported.  The  Post  is  a  weekly,  Republican 
in  politics,  and  the  Independent,  daily  and  weekly, 
is  Democratic  in  politics — though  party  ties  do 
not  seem  to  be  drawn  very  tightly,  and  men,  re- 
gardless of  their  personal  political  affiliations, 
frequently  receive  the  support  of  all  parties. 

We  will  now  take  leave  of  this  city,  and,  re- 
freshed with  food  and  rest,  renew  our  journey 
westward.  The  valley  of  the  Humboldt  con- 
tinues to  widen  as  we  leave  Elko  for  a  few  miles, 
and  if  it  is  winter  or  cool  mornings  of  spring  or 
autumn,  we  will  see  the  steam  rising  in  clouds 
from  the  Hot  Springs  across  the  river  near  the 
wagon  bridge,  on  our  left.  The  pasture  and 
meadow  lands,  with  occasional  houses  are  soon 
passed,  and  we  arrive  at 

Moleen, — 594  miles  from  San  Francisco,  with 
an  elevation  of  4,982  feet.  It  is  simply  a  side 
track  station,  with  no  settlements  around  it,  and 
trains  seldom  stop.  The  same  general  appear- 
ance of  the  valley  and  low  ranges  on  either  side 
continue  to  this  place.  Occasionally  as  we  have 
glanced  to  the  left,  the  high  peaks  of  the  Ruby 
Range  have  lifted  themselves  into  view,  overtop- 
ping the  nearer  and  lower  range  that  borders  the 
river  on  the  south. 

Passing  Moleen,  the  valley  begins  to  nar- 
row, and  the  river  gorges  through  the  Five  Mile 
Canon.  Close  to  the  bluffs  we  roll  along  and 
suddenly,  almost  over  our  heads,  the  beating 
storms  of  ages  have  washed  out  the  softer  and 
more  porous  parts  of  the  ledges,  leaving  turrets 
and  peaks,  towers  and  domes  standing  along  in 
irregular  order.  We  could  not  learn  that  this 
peculiar  formation  had  any  local  name  ;  they  are 
known  in  this  vicinity  as  the  "  Moleen  Rocks," 
and  with  this  name  we  must  be  satisfied.  The 
road  curves  to  conform  to  the  line  of  the  earth 
now  one  way  and  now  another.  The  scenery  here 
is  not  grand  and  sublime,  but  just  enough 
peculiar  to  be  interesting.  The  towering  ledges 
in  this  canon  or,  in  the  one  below,  are  not  a 
thousand  or  fifteen  hundred  feet  high, — for  accu- 
rate measurements  have  placed  them  at  about 
800  feet.  This  canon  is  soon  passed  and  the 
valley  opens  out  again.  We  soon  cross  Susan's 
Creek,  and  then  Maggie's  Ci'eek,  then  Mary's 
Creek,  and  we  are  at 

Carlin, — 585  miles  from  San  Francisco,  at 
an  elevation  of  4,897  feet.  It  is  a  railroad  town, 
the  terminus  of  a  freight  division  of  the  road 
and  the  location  of  the  roundhouse,  machine, 


car  and  repair  shops  of  the  Humboldt  Division 
of  the  Central  Pacific  Railroad.  It  is  the  head- 
quarters of  Mr.  G.  W.  Coddington,  the  Division 
Superintendent.  The  division  extends  from 
Toano  to  Winnemucca,  and  this  place  is  about 
half  way  between  them.  The  town  has  no  busi- 
ness outside  of  the  railroad  shops  and  employes, 
and  numbers  about  200  people.  The  round- 
house has  16  stalls  for  engines,  and  the  repair 
shop,  six  pits.  It  is  in  Elko  County.  The  old 
emigrant  road  divided  just  before  reaching  Car- 
lin,  one  branch  going  south  of  the  river,  and  the 
range  of  mountains  bordering  the  same,  and  the 
other  going  north  of  the  hills  on  the  north  side  of 
the  river.  These  two  roads  came  together  below, 
near  Gravelly  Ford.  In  the  vicinity  of  Carlin 
the  four  little  creeks  come  in  from  the  north. 
In  the  order  in  which  they  are  crossed,  they  are 
called  Susie,  Maggie,  Mary  and  Amelia.  Tra- 
dition says  in  regard  to  these  names,  that  an 
emigrant  was  crossing  the  plains  with  his  family 
at  an  early  day,  and  that  in  this  family  were 
four  daughters  in  the  order  given,  and  that  as 
the  party  came  to  these  streams,  they  gave  the 
name  of  each  one  of  the  daughters  to  them — 
a  very  appropriate  thing  to  do,  and  their  names 
have  been  perpetuated  in  history.  Just  east 
of  Moleen  Station,  the  tourist  looking  off  to  the 
left,  will  notice  the  break  or  gorge  through  the 
low  hills,  on  the  south  side  of  the  river.  Through 
this  gorge  the  South  Fork  of  the  Humboldt 
comes  in.  This  stream  rises  in  the  Ruby  Range 
of  Mountains  and  flows  in  a  general  westerly 
direction,  uniting  with  the  main  river  at  this 
point.  We  will  here  state  that  nearly  all  the 
people  in  the  vicinity,  call  the  range  of  mount- 
ains last  alluded  to  "  Ruby,"  and  we  have  fol- 
lowed the  custom  ;  but  Lieutenant  Wheeler's  Map 
speaks  of  it  as  the  Humboldt  Range,  and  accord- 
ing to  the  custom  of  the  people  along  this  valley, 
nearly  every  range  of  mountains  in  sight,  from 
one  side  of  the  State  to  the  other,  is  called  "  Hum- 
boldt Range,"  or  "  Humboldt  Mountains."  As 
to  the  fertility  of  these  and  other  valleys  in  this 
part  of  the  State,  it  all  depends  upon  irrigation. 
A  sage  brush  plain  indicates  good  soil,  but  water 
must  be  obtained  to  raise  a  crop.  An  effort  has 
been  made  to  make  Carlin  the  shipping  point  to 
the  mining  districts  on  the  north,  but  without 
much  success  thus  far.  The  iron  horses  are 
changed  here,  and  with  a  fresh  steed  we  pass 
down  the  valley.  It  is  quite  wide  here,  but  will 
soon  narrow  as  we  enter  the  Twelve  Mile  Canon. 
Like  the  former,  the  road  winds  around  the  base 
of  the  bluffs  and  almost  under  the  ledges,  with 
the  river  sometimes  almost  under  us.  The 
peaks  and  ledges  seem  to  have  no  local  name, 
but  some  of  them  are  very  singular.  In  one 
place,  soon  after  entering  the  canon,  the  ledges 
on  the  right  side  of  the  track  seem  to  stand  up 
on  edge,  and  broken  into  very  irregular,  serrated 
lines, — the  teeth  of  the  ledge  being  uneven  as  to 


SCENES  IN   THE   HUMBOLDT  DESERT. 

1.—  The  Sink  of  the  Humbolclt.    2.— Mountain  Scene  near  Deeth.    3.— Group  of  Piute  Indians.    4.— Hum  bold  t  River. 
5.— Great  American  Desert,  East  of  Elko.    6.— Wadaworth. 


182 


length.  The  height  oi.  the  bluffs  and  of  the 
palisades  below,  is  about  the  same  as  in  the 
former  canon — SOU  feet.  In  some  places  the  pal- 
isades are  hollowed  out  like  caves  or  open 
arches,  and  the  debris  that  has  crumbled  and 
fallen  from  their  summits  during  the  ages, 
obscures  their  full  form  and  height  from  view. 

Twelve  Mile  Canon,  in  the  Palisades,  was 
graded  in  six  weeks  by  the  Central  Pacific 
.Railroad  Company,  one  cut  herein  containing 
6,600  cubic  yards.  Five  Mile  Canon  just  east- 
ward, was  graded  in  three  weeks,  with  a  force  of 
5,000  to  6,000  men. 

With  the  perpendicular  walls  rising  on  each 
side  of  us,  we  glide  around  the  curves,  and  in 
the  midst  of  these  reddish  lines  of  towering 
rocks,  arrive  at 

Palisade, — 576  miles  from  San  Francisco, 
with  an  elevation  of  4,841  feet.  It  is  the  initial 
point  of  the  Eureka  &  Palisade  Railroad,  is  a 
growing  little  place  between  the  wall  rocks  of  the 
river,  and  has  a  population  of  from  150  to  200 
souls.  It  has  one  or  two  hotels  or  lodging-houses, 
stores,  saloons,  two  large  freight  depots,  and  the 
machine  and  repair  shops  of  the  Eureka  & 
Palisade  Railroad.  This  road  is  a  three  feet 
gauge,  and  we  shall  speak  of  it  more  fully  here- 
after. A  new  station-house,  ticket  and  telegraph 
office  has  been  constructed  here, — the  finest  on 
the  road — to  be  occupied  and  used  by  both  the 
Central  Pacific  and  Eureka  &  Palisade  Roads. 

The  town  is  located  about  half  the  distance 
down  the  canon,  and  the  rocky,  perpendicular 
walls  give  it  a  picturesque  appearance.  The 
lower  half  of  the  canon  is  not  as  wild  and  rug- 
ged, however,  as  the  upper  half.  All  freight, 
which  is  mostly  base  bullion,  that  is  shipped 
from  Eureka  and  other  points  on  this  branch 
road,  has  to  be  transferred  here,  and  the  traveler 
may  sometimes  be  surprised,  in  passing,  at  the 
immense  piles  of  bullion  which  may  here  be  seen 
on  the  platform  of  the  railroad  companies.  On 
a  hill  to  the  right  is  a  wooden  reservoir  supplied 
by  springs,  from  which  the  water  used  in  town 
is  taken.  The  canon  above  was  not  used  for  the 
purposes  of  travel  before  the  passage  of  the  Cen- 
tral Pacific  Road — not  even  a  horseman  ventur- 
ing through  it. 

Shoshone  Indian  Village.— Just  below 
the  town  is  what  Fenimore  Cooper  would  doubt- 
less call  an  Indian  Village,  but  it  requires  a  great 
stretch  of  the  imagination  on  the  part  of  the  prac- 
tical American,  or  live  Yankee,  now-a-days,  to  see 
it.  A  dozen  or  so  tents,  discolored  with  smoke 
and  besmeared  with  dirt  and  grease,  revealing 
from  six  to  ten  squalid  beings  covered  with  ver- 
min, filth  and  rags,  is  not  calculated  to  create  a 
pleasing  impression,  or  awaken  imaginary  flights 
to  any  great  extent.  Between  Ogden  and  Battle 
Mountain,  the  Indians  now  seen  on  the  line  of  the 
road  are  mostly  Shoshones.  Their  reservation 
proper,  for  this  part  of  the  country,  is  at  Carlin, 


but  very  few  of  them  are  on  it.  For  some  reason, 
best  known  to  themselves,  they  prefer  to  look 
out  for  themselves  rather  than  receive  the  small 
annual  amount  appropriated  by  the  government 
for  their  maintenance.  They  are  all  inveterate 
gamblers,  and  a  group  of  squaws  will  sit  on  the 
ground  for  hours,  around  a  blanket  stretched  out, 
and  throw  sticks.  There  are  usually  five  of 
these  fiat  sticks,  from  four  to  six  inches  in 
length,  one  side  of  which  is  colored  slightly. 
Each  one  has  a  rock,  a  piece  of  coal,  or  some 
other  hard  substance  by  her  side,  and  slightly 
inclined  toward  the  blanket.  She  will  then 
gather  the  sticks  in  Her  hand  and  throw  them 
upon  this  rock  so  that  they  will  bound  on  to  the 
blanket,  and  the  point  of  the  game  seems  to  be, 
which  side  of  the  sticks,  the  colored  or  plain, 
comes  up  in  falling.  It  seems  to  be  a  perfect 
game  of  chance,  and  the  one  who  throws  so  that 
the  sticks  all  fall  colored  side  up,  seems  to  have 
some  advantage  in  the  game.  There  is  said  to 
be  some  improvement  in  their  methods  of  living 
during  the  last  fifteen  years  ;  some  of  them  have 
been  employed  on  ranches,  and  some  of  the 
squaws  are  employed  in  doing  the  plainest  kinds 
of  housework ;  the  children  and  younger  mem- 
bers of  the  tribe  are  most  all  becoming  acquainted 
with  the  English  language,  and  all,  so  far  as  they 
are  able,  are  gradually  adopting  the  civilized 
customs  of  dress,  etc.,  though  they  invariably, 
thus  far,  paint  their  faces. 

Leaving  Palisade,  the  traveler  will  notice  the 
railroad  bridge,  a  short  distance  out,  on  which 
the  narrow  gauge  crosses  the  river  on  its  way 
south  as  it  enters  Pine  Valley.  We  soon  enter 
gorges  in  the  canon,  and  on  the  left  side  of  the 
river  a  high  bluff  rises.  After  passing  this,  and 
looking  back  about  half  way  up  the  side,  a 
column  is  seen  jutting  out  in  front  of  the  bluff, 
and  crowned  with  what  appears  like  a  finger. 
We  have  called  it  "  Finger  Rock."  The  chan- 
nel of  the  river  has  been  turned  from  its  bed  by 
a  heavy  embankment — a  work  rendered  neces- 
sary to  avoid  a  short  curve,  and  on  we  go  over  a 
very  crooked  piece  of  road  for  nearly  six  miles, 
when  we  cross  the  river  and  the  valley  again 
opens.  We  have  now  passed  through  the  Twelve 
Mile  Canon,  and  soon  arrive  at 

ClurOf — a  way-station  565  miles  from  San 
Francisco,  with  an  elevation  of  4,785  feet. 
Trains  do  not  stop  unless  signaled.  The  valley 
becomes  wider,  the  hills  more  sloping  and  less 
high  as  they  border  the  valley,  but  away  to  the 
left  are  the  higher  peaks  of  the  Cortez  Mount- 
ains. We  now  enter  an  open  basin,  and  on  the 
right  we  see  the  old  emigrant  road  making  up 
the  hill  from  Gravelly  Ford.  One  branch  of 
this  road,  leading  to  "the  same  ford,  we  also 
cross,  but  the  old  roadway,  plainly  visible  from 
the  cars,  up  the  hill  on  the  north  side  of  the  river, 
marks  the  locality  of  the  ford  itself.  The  river 
here  spreads  over  a  wide,  gravelly  bed,  and  is 


183 


B     o 


B  H 
g  W 
»  H 

?  W 
d 
g 
to 
o 
F 
o 

H 


184 


always  shallow  so  that  it  is  easily  crossed.  The 
emigrants,  in  the  days  of  ox  and  mule  trains, 
took  advantage  of  this  crossing  to  send  letters, 
either  one  way  or  the  other,  by  outward  bound  or 
returning  trains.  They  would  split  a  willow 
sprout  by  the  side  of  the  road  and  put  their  let- 
ters in  it,  which  would  be  taken  out  by  some  one 
in  the  first  train  and  carried  to  the  nearest  post- 
office  on  the  route. 

In  1858,  it  is  said,  that  an  Indian  massacre 
took  place  here,  in  which  18  emigrants  were 
killed ;  and  other  skirmishes  with  the  gentle 
red  men,  were  frequently  in  order.  The  old  emi- 
grant road  is  fairly  lined  with  the  graves  of  emi- 
grants, who  perished  on  their  way  to  the  land  of 


finally  come  to  believe  it  themselves ;  and  this 
may  account  for  the  many  wonderful  stories  that 
have  been  palmed  off  on  some  book-makers,  and 
by  them,  in  turn,  hashed  up  for  the  traveling 
public.  Travelers  can  always  hear  all  they 
choose,  but  it  is  well  to  be  a  little  cautious  about 
believing  all  they  hear. 

The  Maiden's  Grave. — There  is  hardly  an 
old  resident  on  this  coast,  but  who  has  some  in- 
cident to  relate  in  reference  to  Gravelly  Ford.  It 
was  not  only  an  excellent  crossing  place,  but  it 
was  also  a  fine  camping  place,  where  both  man 
and  beast  could  recruit  after  the  weary  days  on 
the  dreary  plains.  There  were  wide  bottom- 
lands that  offered  excellent  grazing  for  stock, 


ENTERING  UUMBOLDT  CANON. 


gold,  or  in  returning  from  the  same.  There  are, 
also,  many  of  the  Shoshoiies  and  Piutes  now 
living,  who  have  been  made  cripples  in  these 
battles  and  skirmishes  with  the  emigrants. 
They  will  talk  about  them  with  their  acquaint- 
ances, and  say  "  heap  of  white  men  killed 
there,"  but  can  seldom  be  induced  to  say  how 
many  Indians  were  slain  in  the  same  conflict. 
Indeed,  parties  representing  each  side  of  the 
contending  forces  have  become  well  acquainted, 
and  now  frequently  meet  each  other  on  friendly 
terms.  There  is  a  disposition,  also,  among  these 
old  plainsmen  "  to  spin  yarns,"  equal  to  any  old 
navigator  that  ever  lived,  and  one  has  to  be  ex- 
tremely cautious  as  to  what  he  believes.  These 
old  story-tellers  are  like  old  Jim  Bridger — they 
will  tell  a  lie  so  often  and  so  earnestly,  that  they 


and  the  small  brush  along  the  banks  of  the 
stream  gave  excellent  shade  and  firewood.  On 
a  low  point  of  land  that  juts  out  toward  the 
river  on  the  south  side  of  the  track,  and  just  be- 
low this  ford,  is  the  Maiden's  Grave.  Tradition 
has  it  that  she  was  one  of  a  party  of  emigrants 
from  Missouri,  and  that,  at'this  ford,  while  they 
were  in  camp,  she  sickened  and  died.  Her  lov- 
ing friends  laid  her  away  to  rest  in  a  grave  on 
this  point  of  land,  in  plain  sight  of  the  ford  and 
of  the  valley  for  miles  in  either  direction.  But 
while  her  remains  were  crumbling  into  dust,  and 
she,  too,  was  fading  from  the  memory  of  all,  per- 
haps, but  her  immediate  relatives,  the  railroad 
builders  came  along,  and  found  the  low  mound, 
and  the  decayed  head-board  which  marked  her 
resting-place.  With  that  admiration  of,  and  de- 


185 


votion  to  woman,  which  characterizes  American 
citizens  of  even  humble  origin,  they  made  a  new 
grave  and  surrounded  it  with  an  enclosure — a 
picket  fence,  painted  white — and  by  the  side  of 
it  erected  a  cross,  the  emblem  of  the  Christian's 
faith,  which  bears  on  one  side,  this  legend — "  The 
Maiden's  Grave  " — and  on  the  other,  her  name, 
"  Lucinda  Duncan."  All  honor  to  the  men  whose 
respect  for  the  true  woman  led  them  to  the  per- 
formance of  this  praiseworthy  act — an  act  which 
would  have  been  performed  by  no  race  under  the 
heavens,  but  ours ;  and  not  by  them,  indeed,  to 
the  remains,  under  similar  circumstances,  of  a 
representative  of  the  sterner  sex.  The  location 
of  this  grave  is  near  Beowawe,  and  the  point  is 
now  used  as  a  burial  ground  by  the  people  living 
in  the  vicinity.  Passing  the  point  where  the 
grave  is  located,  an  extended  valley  comes  in 
from  the  left,  south  of  which  extends  the  Cor- 
tez  Range  of  Mountains.  We  now  arrive  at 

Beowaive, — 556  miles  from  San  Francisco, 
with  an  elevation  of  4,695  feet.  It  has  a  hotel, 
a  few  dwellings,  and  is  the  station  where  the 
business  of  the  Cortez  Mining  District  is  trans- 
acted. There  is  no  regular  stage  line  to  this 
district,  but  private  conveyances  may  be  ob- 
tained. The  mines  are  reported  looking  well — 
are  mostly  individual  property.  They  are  30 
miles  from  the  station  and  a  tri-weekly  mail  is 
carried  by  some  parties  who  are  interested  in  the 
matter.  A  reduction  mill  has  been  erected  there, 
which  is  producing  bullion  regularly.  There  is 
a  beautiful  signification  attached  to  the  name  of 
this  station,  which  will  be  more  fully  realized 
after  the  station  is  passed,  than  before.  It 
means  "  gate,"  or  "  the  gate,"  and  as  you  look 
back  from  below,  the  conformation  of  the  hills 
on  either  side  of  the  valley  is  such,  that  the  sta- 
tion seems  to  stand  in  an  open  gateway,  up  the 
Humboldt  Valley  to  the  canon  beyond.  The 
valley  is  occasionally  dotted  with  farm-houses, 
or  ranches,  and  besides  stock  raising,  which  is 
one  of  the  principal  features  of  this  part  of  the 
country,  there  is  considerable  done  in  the  way  of 
agriculture,  barley  being  the  chief  crop — yield- 
ing immensely  when  the  land  is  properly  irri- 
gated and  the  crops  taken  care  of.  At  Beowawe 
an  immense  stretch  of  valley  land  can  be  seen 
away  to  the  right,  with  a  range  of  mountains, 
which  seems  to  be  an  extension  of  the  Reese 
River  Range,  north  of  the  Humboldt,  west  of  it. 
As  the  river  bends  northward  to  meet  these  val- 
leys, it  receives  the  waters  of  Boulder  and  Rock 
Creeks,  which  come  in  from  the  north  and  north- 
east. These  creeks  open  up  a  vast  country, 
which  is  well  occupied  by  ranches  and  stock- 
men. Leaving  Beowawe,  we  cross  a  large  valley 
and  sage  brush  plain — the  valley  coming  in  from 
the  south.  A  few  miles  out,  we  notice,  if  the 
weather  is  at  all  cool,  steam  rising  from  the  side 
of  the  mountain,  while  colored  streaks,  caused 
by  the  sediment  of  the  springs,  can  clearly  be 


seen  from  the  passing  train.  This  steam  comes 
from  the  Hot  Springs  on  the  mountain  side,  and 
the  sediment  marks  their  locality.  The  water  in 
some  of  these  springs  is  boiling  hot,  and  par- 
takes strongly  of  sulphur.  We  could  not  learn 
that  any  analysis  had  been  made,  nor  could  any 
one  inform  us  of  the  exact  temperature.  There 
is  a  vast  field  for  geological  exploration  in  this 
State,  and  the  general  government  should  enter 
upon  the  work  at  once.  The  springs  also  are  im- 
pregnated with  iron,  but  no  one  knows  the  quan- 
tity, nor  just  in  what  proportion  these  mineral 
waters  are  mixed.  To  the  inhabitants  in  this 
immediate  vicinity,  of  course,  they  have  ceased 
to  be  a  wonder;  but  to  the  majority  of  travelers, 
they  will  ever  be  clothed  with  interest.  A  creek  of 
alkali  water  comes  down  from  the  springs  and 
we  cross  it  on  the  flat  alluded  to,  and  the  wide 
valley  off  to  the  right  is  still  better  seen  as  we 
approach  and  pass 

Shoshone, — 546  miles  from  San  Francisco ; 
elevation,  4,636  feet.  It  is  simply  a  side  track 
station.  Rock  Creek,  before  spoken  of,  comes 
into  the  Humboldt  nearly  opposite  this  place, 
and  the  broad  valley  continues,  on  the  right  of 
the  road.  The  station  is  called  Shoshone  Point 
by  the  people  in  the  valley,  because  a  mountain, 
or  high  ridge,  pushes  out  into  the  valley,  like  a 
promontory.  This  is  one  of  the  landmarks  on 
the  dividing  line  between  the  Shoshone  and 
Piute  tribes  of  Indians  ;  but  the  line  we  con- 
sider purely  imaginary,  from  the  fact  that  Indi- 
ans, as  a  general  thing,  go  where  they  please  in 
this  country,  lines  or  no  lines.  The  wide  basin 
spoken  of,  continues  below  and  off  to  the  right 
of  this  station,  and,  as  we  pass  on,  a  long  line  of 
board  fence  will  be  noticed  stretching,  from  a 
point  high  up  on  the  mountain,  across  the  track 
and  valley  toward  the  Humboldt  River,  on  the 
right.  This  is  the  eastern  line  of  Dunphy  &  Hil- 
dreth's  stock  ranche.  In  seven  miles  we  shall 
pass  the  western  line,  or  fence.  We  have  be- 
fore spoken  of  Iliff,  as  the  cattle  king  of  the 
plains,  and,  while  this  is  true  east  of  the  Black 
Hills  of  Wyoming,  he  will  have  to  yield  the 
crown  to  some  of  the  cattle  kings  of  the  Pacific 
Coast.  This  firm  has  20  miles  of  fencing  in 
these  two  lines:  They  have  over  20  thousand 
acres  fenced  in.  Their  fences,  made  of  redwood 
posts  and  Oregon  pine  boards,  cost  them  a  little 
over  $900  per  mile.  They  have,  altogether, 
about  40,000  head  of  cattle,  mainly  in  two 
herds — one  here  and  the  other  north,  on  the 
Snake  River.  Th<  y  have  purchased  of  the  State, 
government  and  Central  Pacific  Railroad  and 
now  own  about  30,000  acres  of  land.  Most  of 
their  cattle  are  shipped  to,  and  find  a  market  in 
San  Francisco. 

The  immense  range  fenced  in  at  this  point  is 
occupied  by  a  select  herd  of  graded  stock,  and 
some  of  the  best  blooded  animals  in  the  country 
are  annually  purchased  to  improve  the  grades. 


186 


The  system  they  have  adopted  for  grading  up  their 
herds,  is  such  that  in  a  very  few  years  they  will 
have  the  largest  herd  of  high  graded  stock  in 
the  country.  They  also  cut  large  quantities  of 
hay  on  the  meadow  lands  near  the  banks  of  the 
Humboldt,  which  they  feed  to  all  their  weak 
cattle,  and  to  those  which  they  intend  for  late 
winter,  or  early  spring  market.  The  Humboldt 
Valley  and  its  tributaries  constitute  the  best 
part  of  the  State  for  stock  ranges.  The  snow 
seldom  falls  very  deep ;  does  not  stay  long,  and 
the  grass  makes  its  appearance  early  in  the 
spring.  The  purchase  of  large  tracts  of  land  by 
these  foresighted  cattlemen,  will  give  them  a 
monopoly  of  the  business  in  the  future. 

Argenta, — 535  miles  from  San  Francisco ; 
elevation,  4,548  feet.  It  is  simply  a  side  track 
station,  where  considerable  hay  is  shipped.  This 
station  is  immediately  surrounded  by  alkali  flats, 
near  the  base  of  the  Reese  River  Mountains. 
The  road  continues  for  a  few  miles  along  the 
base  of  these  mountains,  when,  suddenly,  a  broad 
valley  opens  out,  on  the  left.  It  is  the"  valley  of 
Reese  River.  We  turn  to  the  right,  cross  the 
valley  and  the  river — all  there  is  left  of  it — and 
arrive  at 

Battle  Mountain,  —  524  miles  from  San 
Francisco,  with  an  elevation  of  4,511  feet.  It  is 
located  at  the  junction  of  the  Reese  River  and 
Humboldt  Valleys.  The  mountain  which  gives 
it  its  name  is  about  three  miles  south  of  the  sta- 
tion, where  there  are  magnificent  springs  from 
which  water  is  conducted  to  the  town,  supplying 
the  railroad  and  inhabitants  with  water.  Battle 
Mountain  is  the  regular  dinner  station  on  the 
line  of  the  road,  and  the  passenger  will  dine  at  a 
very  cosy  and  attractive  place.  In  the  midst  of 
a  surrounding  desert  he  will  observe  the  flowing 
fountain  and  patches  of  green  grass  which  will 
here  greet  his  eyes,  together  with  the  evident 
taste  and  care  which  is  manifested  about  every- 
thing connected  with  the  house.  Travelers  will 
occasionally  have  a  great  deal  of  fun  in  listening 
to  the  talk  of  the  Chinese  waiters. 

The  town  is  mostly  on  one  street  south  of  the 
railroad.  It  has  several  quite  extensive  stores,  a 
public  hall,  an  excellent  school-house,  two  large 
freight  depots,  a  first-class  hotel.  It  has  an  ex- 
tensive and  rapidly  increasing  trade  with  the 
surrounding  country,  and  newly  developed  min- 
ing districts  in  its  neighborhood.  It  is  the  busi- 
ness center  of  a  large  number  of  stockmen,  and 
the  trading  point  for  a  large  number  of  mining 
districts  —  districts  considerably  scattered  over 
quite  a  large  part  of  the  State.  The  town  is 
located  in  Lander  County,  but  is  not  the  county- 
seat.  Austin,  90  miles  away,  claims  that  honor. 

Daily  stages,  carrying  the  mail  and  express, 
leave  here  for  Austin,  Belmont  and  other  places 
south,  immediately  on  the  arrival  of  the  trains 
from  the  west.  The  distance  to  Austin,  90  miles, 
is  made  by  about  6  o'clock  on  the  morning  of  the 


day  after  departure,  and,  of  course,  takes  in  an 
all  night  stage  ride.  Belmont,  about  90  miles 
from  Austin,  is  reached  in  the  evening  of  the  day 
after  departure. 

The  following  mining  districts,  south  of  the 
railroad,  are  more  or  less  tributary  to  Battle 
Mountain  :  commencing  on  the  east  side  of  the 
Reese  River  Range,  first  is  the  Lewis  Mining 
District,  16  miles  distant  from  Battle  Mountain. 
It  is  located  on  the  northern  extremity  of  the 
range.  At  the  southern  extremity  of  this  range 
is  the  Austin  District.  The  mountain  range 
between  these  two  districts,  is  said  to  contain 
mines,  but  it  has  not  been  thoroughly  prospected. 
Austin,  the  head-quarters  of  the  Austin  District, 
is  a  very  nice  town  with  a  population  of  about 
3,000  souls.  It  is  said  to  possess  a  good  deal  of 
public  spirit,  and  is  active  and  enterprising.  It 
has  a  fine  court-house,  three  churches,  a  large 
brick  public  school  building,  some  elegant  resi- 
dences, and  other  appearances  of  thrift.  The 
Reese  River  Valley  is  about  160  miles  long,  trav- 
ersed its  entire  length  by  the  river  of  the  same 
name,  though  it  cannot  be  called  much  of  a  river 
where  the  railroad  crosses  it,  near  Battle  Mount- 
ain. The  upper  portion  of  the  valley,  about  50 
miles  in  length,  is  a  very  fine  agricultural  dis- 
trict, is  quite  well  settled,  and  is  tributary  to 
Austin.  The  valley  is  also  settled  in  places 
where  mountain  streams  come  into  it,  between 
Battle  Mountain  and  Austin.  The  Manhattan 
Company,  composed  of  New  York  capitalists, 
own  and  operate  nearly  all  the  mines  in  the 
Austin  District.  They  are  reported  to  possess 
some  excellent  mines  with  milling  ore,  some  of 
which  is  high  grade.  There  are  other  mining 
districts  around  Austin,  and  tributary  to  it — 
such  as  the  Jefferson,  lone,  Belmont,  etc.,  which 
are  favorably  spoken  of. 

On  the  west  side  of  the  Reese  River  Valley, 
and  immediately  south  of  Battle  Mountain,  are 
the  following  districts :  Battle  Mountain  Dis- 
trict, 7  miles  distant;  Galena  District,  16  miles; 
Copper  Canon,  18  miles,  and  Jersey,  55  miles. 
The  copper  mines  are  owned  by  an  English  com- 
pany— which  is  now  putting  in  concentrating 
machinery — and  are  said  to  be  rich.  The  Jersey 
District  produces  smelting  ore,  and  has  one  or 
two  furnaces  already  erected  which  are  turning 
out  biillion. 

North  of  Battle  Mountain  are  the  Cornucopia 
and  Tuscarora  Districts  which  are  said  to  do 
some  business  from  this  place,  and  are  regarded 
as  tributary  to  it.  Several  stations  on  the  line 
of  the  road  are  competing  for  the  trade  of  these 
mining  districts,  and  all  claim  it,  and  also  claim 
to  be  the  nearest  railroad  point,  with  the  best 
wagon  roads,  etc. 

Battle  Mountain — not  north  of  the  Humboldt 
River,  but  about  three  miles  south  of  the  station 
— is  reported  to  have  been  the  scene  of  a  conflict 
between  a  party  of  emigrants  camped  near  the 


187 


springs  heretofore  spoken  of,  and  a  band  of  red- 
skins who  had  an  innate  hankering  after  the  stock 
of  the  said  party  of  emigrants.  The  losses  of 
this  battle  are  said  to  have  been  quite  severe  on 
both  sides,  considering  the  numbers  engaged.  It 
is  generally  conceded,  however,  that  the  redskins 
got  the  worst  of  it,  though  they  say  "  A  heap 
white  men  killed  there." 

The  opening,  or  valley  directly  opposite  and 
north  of  Battle  Mountain,  is  without  water  in  its 
lower  portion,  and  is  a  desert  of  sand  and  sage 
brush.  The  range  of  mountains  at  whose  base  the 
town  is  situated,  and  south  of  it,  on  the  west  side 
of  Reese  River  Valley,  is  sometimes  called  the 
Battle  Mountain  Range,  and  sometimes  the 
Fish  Creek  Range,  from  a  creek  that  rises  in  it 
about  25  miles  south  of  Battle  Mountain,  and 
runs  into  Reese  River  Valley. 

About  25  miles  south  of  Battle  Mountain,  are 
some  very  fine  hot  springs.  There  are  nearly 
60  of  them,  covering  about  half  a  section  of 
land.  The  largest  one  is  about  60  feet  long  by 
30  feet  wide,  and  at  times  rises  and  falls  from 
three  to  five  feet.  These  springs  are  on  the 
stage  road  to  Austin,  and  are  something  of  a 
wonder  to  travelers  in  that  direction. 

How  Ore  is  Reduced. — We  visited  the  re- 
duction works  of  the  Lewis  District,  and  to  those 
who  are  not  familiar  with  the  way  in  which  ores 
are  handled,  the  following  account  may  be  of 
some  interest.  The  ore  from  the  mine  in  this  dis- 
trict is  neither  free  milling  nor  smelting  ore.  It 
has  to  be  dried  before  it  can  be  milled,  and  then 
roasted  before  it  can  be  separated  and  amalgam- 
ated. The  following  is  our  account  of  the 
process  in  taking  the  silver  from  the  ore :  The 
ore,  as  it  comes  from  the  mine,  is  first  run  through 
a  crusher — a  machine  which  has  two  heavy  pieces 
of  iron  coming  together  like  the  human  jaws  in 
chewing.  It  is  then  passed  either  onto  drying 
pans,  heated  by  a  fire  from  some  furnace,  or  into 
a  revolving  dryer  where  all  the  moisture  is  ex- 
tracted. From  this  dryer  it  passes  through  a  large 
iron  tube  or  pipe  into  the  milling  hoppers  below. 
These  hoppers,  holding  the  crushed  and  dried  ore, 
are  similar  to  those  seen  in  old  fashioned  grist- 
mills, and  from  them  the  ore  runs  on  to  the  stamp 
mill.  The  stamp  mill  is  a  series  of  upright  iron 
shafts  with  a  heavy  iron  or  steel  hammer  on  the 
lower  end  of  each  shaft.  By  machinery,  these 
shafts  are  lifted  up  very  rapidly  and  dropped — a 
process  repeated  by  each  one  from  sixty  to  ninety 
times  per  minute.  As  they  fall,  they  stamp  or 
crush  the  ore  to  powder.  In  fact  it  leaves  this  mill 
pulverized  like  dust,  and  is  conveyed  by  a  hori- 
zontal screw  to  an  adjoining  room,  where  it  is 
taken  by  elevators,  just  like  those  used  in  flour- 
ing mills  to  a  bin  or  tank  above.  In  the  room 
where  this  elevator  and  bin  are,  is  the  cylin- 
drical roaster  and  furnace.  From  the  tank  the 
pulverized  ore  is  taken  as  required,  through  an 
iron  pipe  into  a  large  horizontal  revolving 


roaster.  About  one  and  one-half  tons  of  ore 
dust  are  required  to  charge  the  roaster,  to  which 
is  added  from  eight  to  ten  per  cent,  of  salt.  The 
heat  and  fire  from  the  furnace  pass  through 
this  roaster  as  it  slowly  turns  around,  the  ore 
now  mixed  with  salt,  falling  of  course,  from  side 
to  side  at  each  revolution,  across  and  through 
the  flames.  It  is  kept  in  this  place  about  seven 
hours,  or  until  it  is  supposed  to  be  thoroughly 
chloridized.  It  is  a  sulphuret  ore  as  it  comes 
from  the  mine,  but  becomes  a  chloride  ore  by 
passing  through  this  process.  It  comes  out  of 
the  roaster  at  a  white  heat,  is  then  wet  down  and 
cooled,  and  taken  to  an  amalgamating  pan  which 
is  agitated  with  a  rnuller,  which  revolves  in  the 
pan  from  60  to  70  times  per  minute — in  other 
words,  it  is  a  stirring  apparatus.  One  and  a 
half  tons  of  ore  are  put  into  these  pans,  to 
which  is  added  about  350  Ibs.  of  quicksilver. 
Water  is  then  turned  in  and  the  mixture  stirred 
a  little,  to  the  consistency  of  thick  paste.  Then 
hot  steam  is  let  in  upon  the  mass,  and  while  in 
process  of  agitation  it  is  heated  to  a  boiling  heat. 
The  pulp,  as  it  is  now  called,  is  kept  in  this  pan 
and  constantly  agitated  or  stirred  for  about 
seven  hours.  A  plug  is  then  drawn  from  the 
bottom  of  the  tank  or  pan,  and  the  pulp  passes 
into  "  a  settler "  or  "  separator  "  where  it  is 
again  agitated  in  water — the  amalgam,  mean- 
while, settling  to  the  bottom  of  the  "  settler,"  the 
quicksilver — with  the  silver — being  drawn  into 
a  little  receiver,  from  which  it  is  dipped  into 
sacks  and  strained.  The  quicksilver  being  thus 
nearly  all  taken  out,  the  balance  is  called  dry  amal- 
gam, and  this  is  taken  to  an  iron  retort,  cylindri- 
cal in  shape,  about  five  feet  long  and  12  inches 
in  diameter.  This  cylinder  is  charged  with 
about  900  Ibs.  of  this  dry  amalgam,  then 
thoroughly  sealed,  after  which  it  is  heated  from 
a  furnace  underneath.  The  quicksilver  remain- 
ing in  the  amalgam,volatilizes  under  the  action  of 
heat,  and  passes  through  an  iron  tube  sur- 
rounded by  cold  water,  where  it  is  condensed  and 
saved.  The  quicksilver  being  expelled  by  the 
action  of  the  heat,  leaves  the  crude  bullion 
(silver  in  this  case)  in  the  cylinder.  The  dry 
amalgam  remains  in  the  retort  some  six  or  seven 
hours, — requiring  two  or  three  hours  additional 
to  cool.  The  base  bullion  is  then  taken  out,  cut 
into  small  pieces  and  placed  in  a  black  lead 
crucible,  and  melted  over  a  charcoal  fire.  While 
in  this  crucible  the  dross  of  course  rises  to  the 
surface  of  the  molten  metal  and  is  skimmed  off. 
In  the  crucible  it  is  thoroughly  stirred  with 
a  long  iron  spoon,  and  a  sample  poured  into 
cold  water  for  assaying  purposes.  This  is  done 
just  before  the  hot  metal  is  poured  into 
the  molds  and  becomes  bars.  The  assay  deter- 
mines its  fineness  and  value,  which  is  stamped 
upon  it,  and  it  is  then  shipped  and  sold.  It  goes 
into  the  mill  ore  from  the  mine,  and  comes  out 
silver  in  bars. 


188 


The  tfreat  Plains  and  Desert. 


BY  JOAQUIN   MILLER. 


Go  ye  and  look  upon  that  land, 
That  far,  vast  land  that  few  behold, 
And  none  beholding,  understand ; 
That  old,  old  land,  which  men  call  new, 
That  land  as  old  as  time  is  old : 

Go  journey  with  the  seasons  through 
Its  wastes,  and  learn  how  limitless, 
How  shoreless  lie  the  distances, 
Before  you  come  to  question  this, 
Or  dare  to  dream  what  grandeur  is. 

The  solemn  silence  of  that  plain, 
Where  unmanned  tempests  ride  and  reign, 
It  awes  and  it  possesses  you, 
'Tis,  oh,  so  eloquent. 

The  blue 

And  bended  skies  seem  built  for  it, 
With  rounded  roof  all  fashioned  fit, 
And  frescoed  clouds,  quaint-wrought  and  true : 
While  all  else  seems  so  far,  so  vain, 
An  idle  tale  but  illy  told, 
Before  this  land  so  lone  and  old. 

Lo  !  here  you  learn  how  more  than  fit, 
And  dignified  is  silence,  when 
You  hear  the  petty  jeers  of  men, 
Who  point,  and  show  their  pointless  wit. 
The  vastness  of  that  voiceless  plain, 
Its  awful  solitudes  remain, 
Thenceforth  for  aye  a  part  of  you, 


And  you  are  of  the  favored  few, 
For  you  have  learned  your  littleness. 

Some  silent  red  men  cross  your  track  ; 
Some  sun-tann'd  trappers  come  and  go ; 
Some  rolling  seas  of  buffalo 
Break  thunder-like  and  far  away, 
Against  the  foot  hills,  breaking  back, 
Like  breakers  of  some  troubled  bay ; 
But  not  a  voice  the  long,  lone  day. 

Some  white  tail'd  antelope  flow  by, 
So  airy-like  ;  some  foxes  shy, 
And  shadow-like  shoot  to  and  fro, 
Like  weaver's  shuttles  as  you  pass — ; 
And  now  and  then  from  out  the  grass, 
You  hear  some  lone  bird  chick,  and  call, 
A  sharp  keen  call  for  her  lost  brood. 
That  only  make  the  solitude, 
That  mantles  like  some  sombre  pall, 
Seem  deeper  still,  and  that  is  all. 

A  wide  domain  of  mysteries, 
And  signs  that  men  misunderstand  ! 
A  land  of  space  and  dreams  :  a  land 
Of  sea,  salt  lakes  and  dried  up  seas ! 
A  land  of  caves  and  caravans, 
And  lonely  wells  and  pools. 

A  land 

That  hath  its  purposes  and  plans, 
That  seem  so  like  dead  Palestine, 
Save  that  its  wastes  have  no  confine, 
Till  pushed  against  the  levell'd  skies. 


189 


How  the  Piutes   Bury   their  Dead. — 

There  seems  to  be  a  very  irregular  custom  in 
practice  among  this  tribe  of  Indians,  in  refer- 
ence to  the  disposition  they  make  of  their  dead. 
When  one  of  their  number  is  sick,  the  services 
of  a  Medicine  Man,  as  he  is  called,  are  made 
available,  and  all  his  arts  and  skill  are  exhausted 
to  effect  a  recovery  if  possible.  The  Medicine 
Man  comes,  and  goes  through  a  system  of  con- 
tortions, which  would  rack  the  frame  of  a  white 
person  till  it  was  unjointed,  makes  passes  with 
the  hands  over  the  body  of  the  sick  one,  and 
keeps  up  a  continual  howl  that  must  grate  very 
harshly  upon  the  nerves  of  a  sensitive  person. 
Amidst  these  motions  and  groans  and  passes,  the 
victim  to  disease  lingers,  until  death  puts  an 
end  to  his  sufferings.  When  the  final  dissolu- 
tion has  occurred,  the  body  hardly  has  time  to 
become  cold,  before  it  is  wrapped  in  a  blanket, 
or  old  cloths,  and  preparations  are  made  for  the 
burial.  This  is  done  in  secret,  and,  strange  as 
it  may  appear,  though  many  have  died  since  the 
advent  of  the  whites  into  this  country,  not  a 
single  person,  so  far  as  we  could  learn,  knows  of 
the  burial  place  of  a  Piute  Indian.  The  Indians 
will  scatter  in  small  parties,  some  of  whom,  it  is 
supposed,  will  dig  a  grave,  or  perhaps  several  of 
them ;  and  though  their  actions  may  be  closely 
watched,  they  somehow  manage  to  spirit  away 
the  body  and  conceal  it  in  its  final  resting-place 
so  completely,  that  its  location  is  unknown. 
Whether  the  immediate  relatives  of  the  deceased 
are  mads  acquainted  with  the  burial  place,  we 
could  not  learn,  but  judge  not,  from  the  fact 
that  all  traces  of  the  grave  are  obliterated  from 
human  view.  This  custom  of  concealing  their 
dead,  so  very  strange  to  us,  is  said  to  be  univer- 
sal amrmg  this  tribe.  Another  singular  custom 
among  them,  is  to  remove  the  tent,  or  wick-ee-up, 
at  once,  as  soon  as  the  body  is  taken  away. 
They  claim  that  an  evil  spirit  has  cursed  the 
spot,  and  that  it  would  be  dangerous  for  them  to 
remain  in  the  "  wick-ee "  longer,  or  on  the 
ground  where  it  stood.  They  hasten  into  this 
work  as  if  actuated  by  the  greatest  fear,  and, 
ever  afterwards,  seem  to  regard  it  with  suspicious 
awe. 

How  the  Flutes  Catch  Fifth. — Nearly 
all  the  Indians  seen  on  the  line  of  the  road  be- 
tween Battle  Mountain  and  Reno,  are  Piutes. 
They  are  great  rabbit-hunters,  and  very  success- 
ful in  fishing.  They  make  hooks  from  rabbit 
bones  and  greasewood,  which  are  certainly  su- 
perior to  the  most  improved  article  made  by  the 
whites.  This  hook  is  in  the  shape  of  what 
might  be  called  the  letter  "  V  "  condensed ;  that 
is,  the  prongs  do  not  spread  very  far.  A  line, 
made  of  the  sinews  of  animals,  or  the  bark  of  a 
species  of  wild  hemp,  is  attached  to  this  hook  at 
the  angle,  and  baited  with  a  snail  or  fresh  water 
bloodsucker.  Several  of  these  hooks  are  tied  to 
a  heavier  line,  or  a  piece  of  light  rope,  one  above 


the  other,  so  far  that  they  will  not  become  tan- 
gled or  snarled.  A  stone  is  then  tied  to  the  end 
of  the  heavy  line,  and  it  is  cast  into  the  stream. 
The  fish  take  the  bait  readily,  but  Mr.  Indian 
does  not  "  pull  up  "  when  he  feels  one  fish  on  the 
line.  He  waits  until  the  indications  are  that 
several  fish  are  there — one  on  each  hook — and 
then  he  pulls  out  the  heavy  line,  with  fish  and  all. 
It  seems  that  the  hooks  are  so  made  that  they 
can  be  swallowed  easily  enough  with  the  bait,  but 
as  soon  as  the  fish  begins  to  struggle,  the  string 
acts  on  both  prongs  of  the  hook,  pulling  it 
straight,  the  ends  of  the  letter "  V "  hook,  of 
course,  piercing  its  throat.  It  can  neither  swal- 
low it,  nor  cast  it  forth  from  its  mouth.  The 
more  it  pulls  and  struggles,  the  more  straight- 
ened the  hook  becomes.  Besides  the  superiority 
of  this  hook,  one  fish  being  caught,  others  are 
naturally  drawn  around  it,  and  seize  the  tempt- 
ing bait  upon  the  fatal  hook.  In  this  way  an  In- 
dian will  catch  a  dozen  or  so  fish,  while  a  white 
man,  with  his  fancy  rod  and  "  flies  "  and 
"  spoons,"  and  other  inventions  to  lure  the  finny 
tribes  and  tempt  them  to  take  a  bait,  will  catch 
not  one. 

Leaving  Battle  Mountain  we  have  a  straight 
track  for  about  20  miles,  across  a  sage  brush 
plain,  the  river  and  a  narrow  strip  of  bottom- 
lands, on  our  right. 

Piute, — 519  miles  from  San  Francisco,  with 
no  elevation  given,  and 

Coin, — 511  miles  from  San  Francisco,  are 
simply  side  track  stations  where  trains  meet  and 
pass,  but  of  no  importance  to  the  traveler.  There 
was  no  Indian  battle  fought  near  Piute,  nor  does 
the  Reese  River  sink  into  the  valley  here.  What 
battle  there  was,  was  fought,  as  before  stated, 
about  three  miles  south  of  Battle  Mountain  Sta- 
tion, and  what  the  sands  in  the  valley  do  not  ab- 
sorb of  the  waters  of  Reese  River,  may  be  seen — 
a  little  alkali  stream — flowing  across  the  railroad 
track,  east  of  Battle  Mountain,  to  effect  a  junc- 
tion with  the  Humboldt  River. 

Stone  House, — 504  miles  from  San  Fran- 
cisco, with  an  elevation  of  4,422  feet.  This  was 
not  an  old  trading  post,  but  a  station  in  former 
times  of  the  Overland  Stage  Company,  and  the 
house,  built  of  stone  near  some  very  fine  springs, 
was  one  of  the  eating-houses  on  their  line,  where 
travelers  could  relish  square  meals  of  bacon  and 
coffee  with  safety.  There  is  no  particular  ravine 
near  the  old  ruins  which  the  traveler  would 
notice  as  an  impregnable  fortress.  Quite  a 
number  of  skirmishes  are  reported  to  have  taken 
place  near  this  station,  however,  and  the  graves 
yet  distinguished  in  its  vicinity  tell  of  the  num- 
ber who  were  killed  near  this  place,  or  died  here 
on  their  journey  to  the  golden  shores  of  the 
Pacific.  Stone  House  Mountain,  as  it  is  now 
called,  rears  its  head  just  back  of  the  crumbling 
ruins,  and  from  its  summit  a  most  extensive  and 
beautiful  view  of  the  neighboring  valleys  and 


190 


surrounding  country  can  be  obtained.  On  the 
western  slope  of  this  mountain,  and  about  seven 
miles  from  the  station,  are  some  hot  springs  simi- 
lar to  others  found  in  the  Great  Basin.  But 
these  springs  are  no  more  peculiar  than  those 
found  at  Golconda.  a  few  miles  below,  nor  dif- 
ferent from  those  found  near  Beowawe,  which 
have  already  been  mentioned.  A  gentleman 
who  camped  four  days  near  them,  while  in  pur- 
suit of  a  marauding  party  of  Indians,  informs  us 
that  there  are  four  springs  at  the  place  alluded  to, 
that  they  vary  in  temperature,  and  that  only  one 
is  boiling  hot,  from  which  steam  simply  rises  in 
the  cool  mornings  of  the  season.  The  waters  of 
this  particular  spring  are  very  fine  for  drinkinsr, 
when  cooled.  These  springs  are  not  in  sight 
from  the  railroad,  nor  can  the  steam  therefrom 
be  seen.  About  the  only  way  one  can  become 
scalded  is  to  tumble  into  it.  Jn  such  a  case, 
something  more  than  "  simple  cerate  and  the 
prayers  of  friends "  will  be  required.  During 
the  passage  of  the  Humboldt  Valley  we  cross 
several  dry  valleys,  between  ranges  of  mountains, 
that  seem  to  be  cut  in  twain  by  the  river.  These 
valleys  are  mostly  covered  with  sand  and  sage 
brush ;  occasionally  have  streams  flowing  down 
from  the  mountains  which  soon  sink  in  the  sands. 
There  is  a  wide  valley  of  this  description  north 
of  the  track  as  we  approach 

Iron  Point, — 491  miles  from  San  Francisco ; 
elevation,  4,375  feet.  This  station  is  near  the 
point  of  a  low  ridge,  with  barren  sides  and  rocky 
summit;  the  rocks  a  little  reddish,  indicating 
the  proximity  of  iron.  It  is  a  shipping  point 
for  cattle,  and  has  extensive  stock-yards,  though 
there  are  no  other  accommodations  near  by. 
This  ridge  was  formerly  considered  the  bound- 
ary line  between  the  Shoshones  and  Piutes,  and 
a  trespass  by  either  party  has  been  the  cause  of 
many  an  Indian  war.  The  wasting  away  of  these 
tribes,  however,  renders  the  line  simply  imagin- 
ary, and  the  rights  of  either  party  to  exclusive 
privileges  on  either  side  are  no  longer  regarded. 
The  valley  now  narrows,  and  we  pass  through  a 
sort  of  a  canon,  with  high  bluff  son  both  sides  of 
the  road.  We  wind  round  numerous  curves,  and 
after  the  canon  is  passed,  we  shall  see  the  re- 
mains of  an  old  irrigating  ditch  that  was  started 
here  by  a  French  company  to  take  water  from 
the  Humboldt  and  carry  it  down  the  valley  quite 
a  distance  for  irrigating  and  mill  purposes.  A 
great  amount  of  labor  and  money  was  expended 
upon  this  enterprise,  but  it  was  finally  aban- 
doned. We  believe  a  small  outlay,  compara- 
tively, would  now  make  it  a  success.  The  ditch 
began  at  an  adobe  house,  just  as  we  are  through 
a  short  canon  and  as  the  valley  again  begins  to 
widen.  This  pass  was  called  Emigrant  Canon 
in  the  days  of  wagon  travel. 

Golconda, — 478  miles  from  San  Francisco, 
with  an  elevation  of  4,385  feet.  The  little  town 
here  has  one  or  two  stores,  a  hotel,  several  adobe 


houses  and  the  usual  railroad  conveniences. 
Golconda  is  favorably  located,  as  regards  two  or 
three  important  mining  districts,  and  will  event- 
ually do  considerable  business  with  them.  It  is 
also  the  location  of  some  eight  or  ten  hot  mineral 
springs,  which  are  passed  on  the  right  side  of  the 
track,  just  after  leaving  town.  These  springs 
vary  in  temperature  from  cool,  or  tepid  water,  to 
that  which  is  boiling  hot.  The  swimming  bath 
— an  excavation  in  the  ground — is  supplied  with 
tepid  water,  and  is  said  to  be  very  exhilarating. 
The  Boiling  Spring  —  exact  temperature  and 
analysis  unknown — is  utilized  by  the  farmers  in 
the  valley  in  scalding  their  swine.  The  water  is 
said  to  be  hot  enough  to  boil  an  egg  in  one  min- 
ute. Here  clouds  of  steam  can  be  seen  when 
the  weather  is  cold,  rising  from  the  hot  water  and 
warm  soil  surrounding. 

One  of  the  springs  near  this  station  is  also  a 
curiosity,  and  should  be  visited  by  tourists.  It 
is  conical  in  shape,  like  an  inverted  tea-cup,  four 
or  five  feet  high,  with  a  basin  about  three  feet  in 
diameter  on  the  top.  Formerly,  the  water  came 
in  at  the  bottom  of  this  basin  and  bubbled  over 
the  rim ;  but  a  few  years  since,  it  was  tapped 
from  below,  and  the  water  now  flows  out  at 
the  side,  leaving  the  basin  and  cone  as  it  was 
formed,  by  the  sedimentary  incrustations  and 
deposit.  The  water  flowing  from  the  hot 
spring  is  used  for  irrigating  purposes,  and  the 
owners  of  the  spring  have  a  monopoly  of  early 
vegetable  "  garden  truck,"  raising  early  radishes, 
lettuce,  onions,  etc.,  before  their  season,  by  the 
warmth  produced  from  the  hot  water.  It  is 
expected  that  the  springs  will  be  improved  this 
year  by  the  erection  of  a  suitable  bathing-house 
and  hotel  for  the  accommodation  of  guests. 

Gold  Run  Mining  District,  south  of  Golconda, 
is  tributary  to  the  place.  The  mines  are  re- 
ported rich  in  large  bodies  of  ore,  but  not  of  a 
very  high  grade.  They  are,  however,  easily  ac- 
cessible, and  not  more  than  10  or  15  miles  from 
the  railroad,  with  good  wagon  roads  the  entire 
distance.  The  ore  in  this  district  is  both  smelt- 
ing and  milling — but  requires  roasting  if  it  is 
to  be  milled.  Three  prospects  are  now  being 
worked.  About  three  miles  from  town  is  a  small 
four-stamp  mill,  which  is  running  on  ore  from 
this  district. 

Paradise  District  of  gold  and  silver  mines,  is 
about  18  miles  north  of  Golconda.  The  ore  is 
said  to  be  a  rich  milling  variety,  but  the  pros- 
pects are  not  yet  sufficiently  developed  to  deter- 
mine the  true  value  of  the  district. 

Title, — 530  miles  from  San  Francisco,  with  an 
elevation  of  4,313  feet.  It  is  simply  a  side  track 
of  no  importance  to  travelers,  and  trains  seldom 
stop.  After  leaving  Golconda,  we  look  toward 
the  north  and  see  the  opening  of  Eden  Valley. 
East  of  this  valley,  and  to  our  right,  is  the  Sol- 
dier's Spring  Range,  a  broken  range  of  mount- 
ains. Eden  Valley  extends  north  to  the  Little 


191 


Humboldt  River.  In  fact,  this  river  flows  through 
the  upper  portion  of  the  valley,  and  rises  in  the 
range  just  named,  and  flows  in  a  south-westerly 
direction  through  Paradise  Valley  and  unites 
with  the  Humboldt,  nearly  opposite,  north  of 
Tule.  Paradise  Valley  is  a  fine  agricultural 
basin,  thickly  settled,  about  30  miles  north. 
Paradise  Valley  is  the  name  of  the  post-office — 
a  semi-weekly  line  of  mail  stages  connecting  it 
with  Winnemucca,  the  county-seat  of  Humboldt 
County.  This  valley  is  shaped  like  a  horseshoe, 
and  produces  superior  crops  of  barley,  wheat, 
rye  and  all  kinds  of  vegetables.  It  seems  to 
have  a  depression  in  the  center,  and,  while  it  is 
nearly  all  cultivated,  the  best  crops  are  raised  on 
the  slopes  toward  the  mountains.  The  soil  is  a 
black,  gravelly  loam,  and  sage  brush  grows  on 
the  slopes  to  enormous  size.  Experiments  in 
fruit  culture  have  been  tried,  but,  thus  far,  with 
indifferent  success.  Paradise  Valley  has  a  flour- 
ing-mill,  store  and  dwellings,  and  gives  every  in- 
dication of  thrift.  Its  name  indicates  the  high 
esteem  in  which  it  is  held  by  the  settlers.  It  is 
nearly  surrounded  by  mountains,  and  the  numer- 
ous streams  flowing  down  from  them,  afford  am- 
ple water  for  irrigation.  Most  of  these  streams 
sink  in  the  ground  before  they  reach  the  Little 
Humboldt.  Five  miles  beyond  Tule,  we  reach 

JViunemucca, — 463  miles  from  San  Fran- 
cisco ;  elevation,  4,332  feet.  It  is  named  in 
honor  of  the  chief  of  the  Piute  tribe  of  Indians. 
The  name  itself  means  "  chief,"  and  is  given  to 
any  member  of  the  tribe  who  holds  that  office. 
The  Piutes  are  divided  into  several  bands,  each 
under  a  chief  they  call  '•  Captan,"  thought  here 
to  be  derived  from  the  Spanish,  and  to  mean  the 
sam3  as  our  English  word,  "captain."  Winne- 
mucca is  now  about  70  years  old,  and  lives  on 
the  Malheur  Reservation,  in  Oregon — a  reserva- 
tion occupied  by  the  Piutes  and  Bannocks.  He 
is  very  much  respected  —  almost  worshiped  by 
his  dusky  followers. 

The  town  is  the  county-seat  of  Humboldt 
County,  and  has- a  population  of  about  1,200 
people,  among  whom  are  some  Indians,  and  quite 
a  number  of  Chinamen.  It  is  the  western  ter- 
minus of  the  Humboldt  Division  of  the  Central 
Pacific,  has  a  large  roundhouse,  two  large  freight 
depots  and  the  usual  offices,  etc.,  for  the  accom- 
modation of  the  railroad  business.  An  elegant 
brick  court-house  has  baen  erected,  together  with 
several  stores,  hotels,  shops,  a  large  flouring-mill, 
a  foundry,  a  ten-stamp  quartz  mill,  with  a  capa- 
city for  crushing  ten  tons  of  ore  every  24  hours, 
and  other  public  improvements  completed,  or  in 
contemplation.  The  town  is  divided  into  two 
parts — upper  and  lower;  the  latter  being  built 
on  the  bottom  land  near  the  river,  and  the  upper, 
on  a  huge  sand-bank,  adjoining  the  railroad. 
Most  of  the  buildings  are  frame,  though  a  few 
are  built  of  brick,  or  adobe,  which,  in  this  west- 
ern country,  are  called  "  dobe,"  for  short. 


There  is  a  school-house  with  accommodations 
for  about  150  pupils — two  apartments,  and  no 
churches.  It  is  also  quite  a  shipping  point  for 
cattle  and  wool.  About  9,000  head  of  cattle 
were  shipped  to  the  San  Francisco  market  from 
this  place,  in  the  months  of  January  and  Feb- 
ruary of  the  present  year.  In  the  spring  of 
1875,  over  500,000  Ibs.  of  wool  were  shipped  to 
New  York  and  Boston  markets.  It  is  also  the 
shipping  point  to  Camp  McDermott,  near  the 
northern  line  of  the  State ;  to  Silver  City  and 
Boise  City,  Idaho ;  and  to  Baker  and  Grant 


WINNEMUCCA,  THE  NAPOLEON  OF  THE  PIUTES. 

Counties,  in  south-eastern  Oregon.  The  stage 
lines  are  as  follows  :  Daily  stage  and  mail  line 
to  Silver  City  and  Boise  City,  Idaho, — distance 
to  Silver  City,  210  miles,  extension  to  Boise,  65 
miles  farther.  The  same  line  supplies  Camp 
McDermott,  85  miles  distant.  Semi-weekly 
line,  Mondays  and  Fridays,  to  Paradise  Valley, 
45  miles.  Weekly  line — soon  to  be  made  daily 
and  to  caYry  the  mail  to  Jersey,  65  miles,  (south) 
leaving  at  present  every  Wednesday.  There  is 
also  an  immense  freighting  business  done  with 
the  mining  districts  in  the  vicinity,  and  with 
Idaho  Territory.  Regular  freight  lines  are  on 
the  road  between  this  place  and  Silver  City. 
The  following  mining  districts  are  tributary 


192 


to  Winuemucca  and  located  in  Humboldt 
County :  beginning  north  of  the  railroad — there 
are  placer  mines  west  of  Paradise  Valley  and 
settlement ;  at  Willow  Creek  about  60  miles  dis- 
tant from  Winnemucca.  Bartlett  Creek  Mines, 
gold  and  silver,  100  miles  distant.  Varyville  is 
the  town  of  this  camp.  It  has  about  a  hundred  in- 
habitants, and  is  north-west  of  this  city.  Two 
quartz  mills  are  in  operation  there,  controlled  by 
a  Chicago  company.  Pueblo  District — copper 
mines,  about  100  miles  distant.  Winnemucca 
District — silver,  two  miles  west  of  town,  mines 
owned  and  operated  by  the  Humboldt  Mining 
Company,  which  has  a  ten-stamp  quartz  mill  in 
town,  supplied  in  part  with  ore  from  their  mine, 
and  run  on  custom  ore  at  times.  The  ores  in 
this  vicinity  have  to  be  roasted,  and  this  mill 
has  a  drop  furnace — the  ore  dropping  through 
the  flaming  fire  instead  of  being  turned  in  a 
revolving  heated  cylinder. 

Central  District  in  Eugene  Mountain,  south- 
west of  town,  produces  silver  ore  and  has  a 
quartz  mill. 

South  of  the  railroad  there  is  Jersey  District 
and  town,  65  miles  distant.  The  business  of 
this  mining  camp  is  divided  between  Battle 
Mountain  and  this  place — both  claiming  it. 
The  town  has  about  200  people.  The  ore  is 
argentiferous  galena,  rather  above  the  average 
grade,  and  is  found  in  large  quantities.  A 
smelting  furnace  has  been  erected  and  a  consider- 
able amount  of  base  bullion  has  been  turned  out. 
The  smelter  has  a  capacity  of  25  tons  per  day. 
The  shaft  in  the  mine  has  been  sunk  to  a  depth 
of  130  feet,  and  levels  run  about  300  feet.  It  is 
claimed  to  be  a  very  promising  mining  district. 

Antimony  District  is  80  miles  due  south  of 
Winnemucca.  Slabs  of  that  mineral,  weighing 
three  tons,  and  averaging  70  per  cent,  pure  anti- 
mony, can  be  obtained  in  this  district.  Near  it 
is  the  Humboldt  Salt  Marsh,  where  salt,  95  per 
cent,  pure,  can  be  shoveled  up  by  the  wagon- 
load.  This  salt  deposit  is  very  extensive,  and 
the  supply  seems  to  be  exhaustless.  Underneath 
the  surface  deposit,  rock  salt,  or  salt  in  large 
cakes  or  slabs,  is  taken  out,  in  the  driest  part  of 
the  season,  by  the  ton. 

In  the  valley  leading  to  the  above-named  dis- 
trict are  some  very  fine  hot  springs,  but  they  are 
so  common  here  as  to  be  no  curiosity.  Twelve 
miles  out,  in  the  same  valley,  is  a  rich  agricul- 
tural district,  thickly  settled,  where  not  only 
grain  and  vegetables  have  been  successfully  cul- 
tivated, but  the  experiments  in  fruit  culture 
have  also  proved  successful.  At  the  county  fair, 
held  in  this  city  during  the  fall  of  1875,  fine 
specimens  of  apples,  peaches,  pears  and  plums 
were  exhibited  which  were  raised  in  this  valley. 

Bolivia  District,  silver  ore,  70  miles  away. 
Ore  from  this  district  is  shipped  to  various 
points;  some  to  the  mill  here  that  is  claimed  to 
average  $500  per  ton.  Comminsville  Camp,  in 


Sierra  District,  produces  gold  and  silver  ore.  A 
ten-stamp  mill  is  erected  there. 

As  the  tourist  walks  the  platform  at  this  place, 
looking  across  the  river  to  the  right,  he  will  see 
Winnemucca  Mountain,  but  a  short  distance 
away,  overlooking  the  town.  To  the  left,  he  will 
observe  the  peaks  of  the  Franklin  or  Sonoma 
Range.  To  the  east,  and  somewhat  distant,  are 
the  ragged  summits  of  the  Soldier's  Spring 
Range,  while  a  little  to  the  south-west,  but  ap- 
parently in  front,  Eugene  Mountain  lifts  itself 
up  as  a  landmark  to  guide  the  traveler  on  his 
way.  This  mountain  will  be  passed  on  our  left 
as  we  continue  the  journey. 

Winnemucca  has  two  newspapers,  The  Daily 
Humboldt  Register  and  the  Daily  Silver  State. 
Both  are  energetic  little  sheets,  and  fitly  illus- 
trate the  enterprise  of  these  western  towns. 
Across  the  river,  over  a  wooden  bridge,  is  located 
the  cemetery,  in  which  the  remains  of  the  dead 
are  enclosed.  It  is  on  an  elevated,  sandy  bench,  the 
second  ten-ace  or  step  from  the  river  level.  By 
it  winds  the  stage  road  to  Idaho  and  the  north. 
The  Piutes  have  their  tents  scattered  on  all 
sides  of  the  town,  to  which  the  euphonious  name 
of  "  Wick-ee-ups  "  is  given.  They  serve  to  re- 
mind cne  of  the  departing  glory — if  they  ever 
had  any — of  the  Indian  race.  In  this  tribe,  to 
their  honor  be  it  said,  licentiousness  among  their 
women  is  very  rare,  and  virtue  is  held  in  high 
esteem.  But  very  few  half-breed  Indians  can  be 
found,  or  are  they  known  in  the  State.  This 
tribe,  with  the  Bannocks,  were  especially  hostile 
to  the  whites  in  an  early  day,  and  fought  for 
many  years  with  desperation  and  cruelty  to  pre- 
vent the  settlement  and  development  of  this 
country.  Their  courage  and  deadly  enmity  has 
been  displayed  on  many  a  hard-fought  field,  and 
if  there  are  families  in  the  East,  or  on  the  Pacific 
Coast,  who  still  mourn  the  loss  of  missing  ones, 
who  were  last  heard  of  as  crossing  the  plains, 
some  Indian  warrior,  yet  living,  might  be  able  to 
explain  the  mystery  which  has  enveloped  their 
final  doom.  For  a  number  of  years,  with  cease- 
less vigilance,  they  hung  around  the  trains  of 
emigrants,  eager  to  dispatch  a  stray  victim,  or 
upon  the  borders  of  settlements,  ready  to  strike 
down  the  hardy  pioneer  at  the  first  favorable 
opportunity.  At  present,  overpowered  by  num- 
bers, they  live  upon  the  bounty  of  their  former 
enemies,  and  are  slowly,  but  surely  learning,  by 
example,  the  ways  of  civilization.  As  a  class, 
however,  they  are  still  indolent,  dirty  and  cov- 
ered with  vermin.  But  they  begin  to  learn  the 
worth  of  money,  and  know  already  that  it  has  a 
purchasing  power  which  will  supply  their  scanty 
wardrobe,  and  satisfy  their  longing  appetites. 

The  mines  on  the  top  of  Winnemucca  Mount- 
ain are  plainly  seen,  and  the  road  that  leads  to 
them,  from  the  cars,  and  the  tourist  from  this 
will  be  able  to  understand  something  of  the  diffi- 
culties attending  the  process  of  getting  out  ore. 


193 


As  we  pass  westward,  a  grand  view  of  a  distant 
range  is  obtained  between  Winnemucca  and 
Black  Butte.  The  last  named  mountain  is  an 
isolated  peak,  and  stands  out  like  a  sentinel  on 
guard.  As  we  approach  the  higher  peaks  of  the 
East  or  Humboldt  Range,  we  pass 

Hose  Creek, — 453  miles  from  San  Francisco, 
with  an  elevation  of  4,322  feet.  It  is  an  unim- 
portant station,  with  side  track,  etc.  You  will 
have  to  look  sharp  to  see  the  creek,  or  the  roses, 
and,  by  way  of  variety,  you  will  discover  plenty 
of  sage  brush.  It  is  a  staple  article,  in  this 
country.  The  river  still  winds  its  way  along  our 
right,  and  there  is  an  occasional  ranche  on  the 
mountain  slope,  where  the  water  from  some 
spring,  or  little  creek,  can  be  obtained  for  irriga- 
tion. 

Raspberry, 
—  443  miles 
from  San  Fran- 
cisco ;  elevation 
4,327  feet.  If 
roses  were  few 
and  far  be- 
tween, at  the 
last  station, 
raspberries  are 
less  frequent 
here.  But  these 
names  are  tanta- 
lizing and  sug- 
gestive in  the 
places  they  are 
applied  to. 
Having  turned 
the  point  of 
East  Range,  we 
bear  off  to  the 
left.  Eugene 
Mountain  is 
now  on  our 
right,  across  the 
H  umboldt 
River. 

M ill  City,— 
435  miles  from 
San  Francisco, 
with  an  eleva- 
tion of  4,225 

feet.  This  was  once  a  town  with  great  prospects. 
It  was  to  be  the  terminus  of  the  irrigating  ditch, 
which  we  have  seen  beyond  Winnemucca  and  Gol- 
conda,  and  this  ditch,  by  a  small  expenditure  of 
money,  could  now  be  made  available,  as  far  as 
Winnemucca.  The  Humboldt  Mining  Company, 
owning  the  stamp  mill  at  that  place,  already  al- 
luded to,  also  own  this  ditch.  The  French  capi- 
talists, who  put  their  money  into  the  enterprise, 
long  since  abandoned  it.  Mill  City,  in  their  im- 
agination, was  to  be  the  seat  of  empire — a  mighty 
city  of  the  plains,  of  influence  and  power.  The 
banks  of  the  canal  they  partially  dug,  were  to  be 

13 


lined  with  factories  and  mills.  The  mineral  bear- 
ing ore  of  the  State  was  to  be  brought  to  these 
mills,  for  reduction.  Their  ideas  were  grand,  and 
could  have  been  made  successful,  under  other  cir- 
cumstances ;  but  they  were  in  advance  of  the 
times — ahead  of  the  age  in  which  they  lived.  In 
the  mutations  of  time,  the  town  has  become  a 
great  shipping-point  for  cattle — 100  cars  being 
shipped  last  year — a  number  which  is  greatly  ex- 
ceeded in  some  years.  It  has  a  steam  foundry  in 
operation, — mostly  employed  in  the  manufacture 
and  repair  of  mining  machinery, — and  is  the  rail- 
road point  where  the  business  of  several  mining 
districts  is  done.  Ore  from  Dun  Glen,  Unionville 
and  Star  City,  comes  here  for  shipment,  and, 
once  per  week,  bullion  comes  over  from  Union- 
ville. This  last  place  was  formerly  more  lively 

than  at  present. 
It  is  a  town  of 
about  300  peo- 
ple—  has  four 
quartz  mills  in 
operation,  and 
is  connected 
with  Mill  City 
by  a  daily  stage 
line,  which 
passes  by  Star 
City —  distance 
to  Unionville, 
20  miles;  to 
Star  City,  10 
miles ;  to  Dun 
Glen,  8  miles. 
The  general 
course  of  the 
railroad  being 
east  and  west, 
these  places  are 
all  south  of  it. 
The  mining  dis- 
tricts, including 
the  towns 
named,  which 
are  tributary  to 
this  place,  are 
Unionville,  Star 
and  Indian  Dis- 

B.  B.   STATION,  HUMBOLDT,  NEVADA.  trfcts— all     trib- 

utary to  Mill  City.  Mill  City  has  a  neat  little 
hotel,  a  livery  stable  and  several  dwellings.  It 
may  possibly  be  the  junction  of  a  railroad  to  Ore- 
gon— surveys  of  which  have  been,  and  are  now 
being  made. 

Leaving  Mill  City,  we  pass  rapidly  by  an 
opening  or  gap  in  the  mountains  on  our  left, 
while  a  broad  extent  of  valley  opens  out  on  our 
right,  as  Eugene  Mountain  sinks  into  the  plain. 
The  river  recedes  from  our  view,  and  winds  along 
across  an  alkali  flat  some  six  or  seven  miles 
away.  Through  this  opening  on  our  right,  the 
proposed  branch  railroad  to  Oregon  will  pass. — 


194 


Surveys  have  already  been  made,  and  it  is  supposed 
the  men  in  the  Central  Pacific  Company  will 
build  it,  and  the  junction  with  this  road  will  be 
either  here  or  near  here.  Through  this  gap 
travelers  in  the  old  emigrant  times,  turned  off  to 
go  by  the  Honey  Lake  Route  to  Northern  Cali- 
fornia and  Southern  Oregon.  A  natural  road 
with  easy  grades  is  claimed  for  this  route.  In 
coming  down  this  valley  from  Mill  City,  we  pass 
a  high  mountain  on  our  left, — said  to  be  the 
highest  peak  in  Nevada — 8,000  feet  high.  It  is 
called  Star  peak.  The  elevation  given  is  the 
common  rumor  in  the  vicinity.  It  is  certainly 
a  high  mountain,  and  its  lofty  towers  are  nearly 
always  covered  with  snow.  Opposite  this 
mountain  is 

Humboldt, — 423  miles  from  San  Francisco, 
with  an  elevation  of  4,236  feet  above  the  sea, — 
nearly  the  same  as  the  Great  Salt  Lake.  We 
have  been  coming  down  hill  all  the  way  from 
Wells,  and  yet  we  are  no  lower  than  when  we 
left  Ogden.  We  have  now  arrived  at 

An  Oasis  in  tlie  Desert. 

The  traveler  from  the  East,  will  be  especially 
delighted  with  this  spot.  It  will  remind  him  of 
things  human,  of  living  in  a  land  of  cultivation 
again.  The  first  growing  trees  since  leaving 
Ogden  will  be  seen  here,  with  green  grass,  shady 
bowers  and  flowing  fountains.  Humboldt 
House  is  a  regular  breakfast  and  supper  station, 
at  which  all  passenger  trains  stop  for  meals. 
The  proprietors  have  been  here  quite  a  number 
of  years,  and  seem  to  delight  in  making  their 
house,  and  surroundings  beautiful  and  attractive 
to  the  traveling  public.  A  fountain  surrounded 
with  an  iron  fence,  springs  up  in  front  of  the 
house,  while  gold-fish  swim  around  in  the  basin 
below.  East  of  the  house,  trees,  locusts  and 
poplars  are  growing  finely,  while  the  ground  is 
covered  with  a  thick  matting  of  blue-grass.  At 
first  this  lot  was  sown  to  alfalfa,  which  grew 
very  rank  and  strong.  Blue-grass  seed  was 
afterwards  sown,  and  now  it  has  rooted  every- 
thing else  out  and  grows  luxuriantly.  A  field 
south  of  the  road  toward  the  mountain,  has  pro- 
duced 18  tons  of  alfalfa  at  one  cutting,  and  has 
been  cut  from  five  to -seven  times  a  year.  In  the 
garden  north  of  the  house,  toward  the  valley,  all 
kinds  of  vegetables  grow  luxuriantly.  The 
average  yield  of  potatoes  is  300  bushels  to  the 
acre,  of  the  very  best  quality.  We  were,  how- 
ever, particularly  interested  in  the  experiments 
made  in  fruit  growing.  Here  in  the  midst, 
almost,  of  the  Great  Nevada  Desert,  with  barren- 
ness and  desolation  spread  out  on  every  hand — 
with  a  high  rocky  mountain  on  one  side,  and  a 
huge  alkali  flat  on  the  other,  nestled  under  the 
towering  cliffs  as  though  it  would  claim  shelter 
and  protection,  is  this  Oasis  in  the  desert, — this 
reminder  of  more  genial  climes  and  a  more 
kindly  soil — this  relief  from  the  wearisome, 


dreary  views,  which  have  everywhere  met  our 
gaze,  over  the  largest  part  of  the  journey.  The 
experiments  so  successful  here  prove,  beyond  a 
doubt,  that  the  desert  can  be  reclaimed  and 
"  made  to  bud  and  blossom  as  the  rose."  Grit, 
labor  and  above  all,  water,  will  do  it.  Here  is 
an  orchard  of  apple  trees  five  years  old,  bearing 
not  only  fruit  as  beautiful  to  the  eye  as  that 
raised  in  California,  but  superior  in  flavor — in 
fact  retaining  the  flavor  of  eastern  apples. 
These  apple  trees  of  all  varieties  are  prolific 
bearers,  and  the  same  is  true  of  the  peaches, 
pears,  plums  and  cherries.  In  the  orchard  and 
opposite  the  water  tank,  is  a  fish-pond  some 
25  or  30  feet  in  diameter.  In  it  are  trout,  great 
speckled  fellows,  very  thick  and  very  shy. 
Rocky  coves  have  been  built  for  them  in  the 
bottom  and  center  of  the  basin,  and  here  they 
hide — seeking  shade  from  the  rays  of  the  hot  sum- 
mer's sun,  and  also  from  those  of  the  silvery 
moon.  The  experiments  first  made  with  these 
fish  were  costly,  but  have  at  last  proved  suc- 
cessful. This  place  and  its  surroundings  cause 
the  traveler  not  only  to  rejoice  over  the  scene 
which  here  greets  his  gaze,  but  serves  to  remind 
him  of  home — of  "  God's  country  "  either  in  the 
far  East  or,  at  this  point,  in  the  nearer  West. 

In  the  fish-pond  mentioned,  there  are  a  coiiple 
of  wild  geese,  and  a  Mandarin  duck  said  to  be 
from  Japan.  It  is  a  beautiful  little  creature 
with  tufts  of  feathers  on  each  side  of  its  head, 
and  finely  colored  plumage.  The  proprietors  of 
the  Humboldt  House,  seem  to  strive  to  offer 
attractions  to  their  guests  in  both  their  indoor 
accommodations,  and  outside  arrangements. 

The  station  has  shippe'd  a  large  number  of 
cattle,  and  is  the  shipping  point  for  the  sulphur 
or  brimstone,  that  is  manufactured  some  thirty 
miles  north-west  of  the  place.  The  old  emigrant 
road  spoken  of  as  leading  to  Northern  California 
and  Southern  Oregon,  winds  around  the  base  of 
Eugene  Mountain  and  near  a  low  butte,  re- 
sembling a  haystack,  which  can  be  seen  in  the 
distance  across  the  alkali  flats.  This  road  was 
laid  out  by  General  F.  W.  Lander,  who  was 
killed  in  the  war  of  1861,  and  is  said  to  be  one 
of  the  best  wagon  routes  to  the  regions  named. 
The  Humboldt  House  is  the  place  of  resort  for 
tourists  who  desire  to  visit  the  sulphur  mines, 
Star  Peak,  or  the  mining  districts  in  the  Hum- 
boldt Range,  Eugene  Mountain,  and  the  Ante- 
lope Range.  The  latter  is  a  low  range  on  our 
right,  beginning  as  we  leave  this  station.  In 
front  and  south-east  of  the  Humboldt  House,  is 
the  Humboldt  Mining  District,  four  to  six  miles 
distant.  Humboldt  Canon  opens  in  the  mountain 
side,  in  which  was  formerly  located  Humboldt 
City.  Mines  were  first  discovered  in  the  rocky 
gorges  of  this  range  in  1861,  and  there  was  a  great 
rush  here  from  all  parts  of  the  country.  The 
"  City  "  sprang  up  as  if  by  magic,  and  at  one 
time  contained  about  500  people.  Several  sub- 


195 


stantial  buildings  were  erected,  a  few  of  which 
still  remain.  The  mines  were  diligently  pros- 
pected, but  not  rewarded  with  immediate  suc- 
cess, the  expenses  of  living  and  building  being 
very  great,  together  with  the  determined  hos- 
tility of  the  Indians,  the  people  left  it  as 
suddenly  as  they  came.  The  district  remained 
idle  until  1874-5,  when  work  was  again  begun 
by  a  few  individuals,  and  the  mines  are  now  be- 
ing re-opened  with  rich  developments  and  every 
prospect  of  success.  The  ore  is  gold,  silver  and 
argentiferous  galena. 

Antelope  District  is  16  miles  away,  in  a  west- 
erly direction  ;  Geneva  District  is  21  miles  dis- 
tant, in  a  north-westerly  direction ;  both  of  these 
are  but  little  developed. 


one  and  one-half  miles  distant  from  the  Me  Wor- 
thy Mines.  They  were  formerly  known  as  the 
Wright  and  Egbert  Mines.  This  company  have 
a  new  patented  process  for  refining  the  crude 
ore,  which  they  claim  has  a  capacity  of  ten  tons 
per  day,  and  producing  an  article  which  they 
further  claim  is  superior  to  that  manufactured 
by  any  other  process  yet  known.  The  ore,  as  it 
comes  from  the  mine,  is  a  mixture  of  sulphur, 
clay,  gypsum,  water,  etc.,  and  the  trouble  has 
heretofore  been  to  separate  them  perfectly  and 
cheaply.  This  company  fuses  the  crude  or  mixed 
ore  by  heat,  and  then  separates  them  by  a  chemi- 
cal process  which  is  claimed  to  be  very  simple, 
producing  the  "  brimstone  "  of  commerce,  nearly 
100  per  cent.  fine.  The  deposits  lie  in  the  hills, 


TWO  BITS  TO  SEE  THE  PAPPOOSE. 


The  sulphur  mines  are  30  miles  away,  in  a 
north-westerly  direction.  Very  large  deposits  of 
native  sulphur  are  found  in  these  mines  which 
will  average  nearly  75  per  cent.  pure.  There  are 
two  mines  opened.  One  called  the  Me  Worthy 
Mine,  located  and  developed  by  Mr.  Me  Worthy, 
is  now  operated  by  a  San  Francisco  company. 
The  product  of  this  mine  is  refined  by  retorts, 
three  in  number,  which  are  now  in  active  opera- 
tion, and  which  are  capable  of  producing  about 
three  tons  per  day  of  twenty-four  hours.  The 
mines  of  the  Pacific  Sulphur  Company  are  about 


and  are  found  from  20  to  100  feet  thick.  They 
are  also  found  in  some  of  the  adjoining  valleys, 
but  are  not  as  pure  in  the  valleys  as  in  the  hills. 
They  are  covered  with  ashes  and  mixed  with  ex- 
traneous matter.  In  fact,  wherever  these  de- 
posits come  to  the  surface,  they  are  covered  with 
ashes,  nearly  white  in  color,  indicating  that  at 
some  period,  they  were  on  fire,  and  that  the  fire 
was  extinguished — smothered — by  the  accumu- 
lation of  these  ashes.  When  "  the  elements  shall 
melt  with  fervent  heat,"  the  vast  sulphur  de- 
posits of  Nevada  will  add  fuel  to  the  flames  and 


196 


greatly  accelerate  the  melting  process.  Hum- 
boldt is  the  business  center  of  the  mining  dis- 
tricts named,  and  has  bright  prospects  for  the 
future. 

The  Oregon  branch  of  the  Central  Pacific 
Railroad,  which  was  surveyed  in  1875,  will  leave 
the  main  line  of  the  Central  Pacific,  between  Mill 
City  and  Humboldt,  cross  the  Rabbit  Hole  Mount- 
ains, Mud  Lakes,  thence  northerly  to  Goose  Lake, 
then  on  to  Klamath  Lake,  and  across  the  Cascade 
Mountains  near  Fort  Klamath,  to  intersect  the 
completed  railroad  in  Oregon.  This  road  is  to 
be  constructed  by  an  Oregon  company,  is  not  a 
part  of  the  Central  Pacific  Railroad,  but  will  be 
a  feeder  to  it,  and  it  is  understood  that  some  of 
the  principal  owners  of  the  Central  Pacific  Rail- 
road are  giving  it  some  of  their  support.  It  is 
expected  to  be  in  progress  next  year,  and  com- 
pleted between  Humboldt  and  some  point  on  the 
California  and  Oregon  Railroad,  near  Eugene 
City,  a  distance  of  450  miles,  within  five  years. 

Immediately  to  the  north-west  of  these  mines, 
and  in  close  proximity  around  them,  is  a  vast 
alkali  desert  covering  a  large  area  of  ground. 
Of  all  the  dreary  wastes  to  be  seen  in  this  sec- 
tion of  the  country,  this  desert  is  one  of  the  most 
forbidding  and  desolate. 

About  half  a  mile  west  of  Humboldt,  on  our 
right,  is  a  sulphur  deposit.  It  seems  to  be  near 
the  remains  of  what  was  once,  evidently,  a  sul- 
phur spring,  long  since  dried  up.  It  is  not 
worked  for  the  reason  of  its  impurities — a  far 
better  article  of  crude  is  being  obtained  else- 
where. The  river,  still  on  our  right,  seems  to 
have  cut  a  deeper  channel  in  the  valley,  and  is 
seldom  seen  from  the  cars.  On  our  left  are  the 
towering  peaks  of  the  Humboldt  Range.  The 
valley  itself  becomes  more  undulating,  but  still 
retains  its  dull  monotony. 

A  Vigilance  Committee  Incident. — The 
following  incident  which  happened  in  one  of  the 
Nevada  mining  towns,  is  vouched  for  by  Clar- 
ence King : 

Early  in  the  fifties,  on  a  still,  hot  summer's 
afternoon,  a  certain  man,  in  a  camp  of  the 
northern  mines,  which  shall  be  nameless,  having 
tracked  his  two  donkeys  and  one  horse  a  half 
mile,  and  discovering  that  a  man's  track  with 
spur  marks  followed  them,  came  back  to  town 
and  told  "  the  boys,"  who  loitered  about  a  popu- 
lar saloon,  that  in  his  opinion  some  Mexican  had 
stolen  the  animals.  Such  news  as  this  demanded, 
naturally,  drinks  all  round. 

"  Do  you  know,  gentlemen,"  said  one  who  as- 
sumed leadership,  "  that  just  naturally  to  shoot 
these  greasers  aint  the  best  way?  Give  'em  a 
fair  jury  trial,  and  rope  'em  up  with  all  the 
majesty  of  the  law.  That's  the  cure." 

Such  words  of  moderation  were  well  received, 
and  they  drank  again  to  "Here's  hoping  we 
ketch  that  greaser." 

As  they  loafed  back  to  the  veranda,  a  Mexican 


walked  over  the  hill  brow,  jingling  his  spurs 
pleasantly  in  accord  with  a  whistled  waltz. 

The  advocate  for  the  law  said  in  an  undertone, 
"  That's  the  cuss." 

A  rush,  a  struggle,  and  the  Mexican,  bound 
hand  and  foot,  lay  on  his  back  in  the  bar-room. 
The  camp  turned  out  to  a  man. 

Happily  such  cries  as  "  String  him  up!"  "Burn 
the  dogyoned  lubricator ! "  and  other  equally  pleas- 
ant phrases  fell  unheeded  upon  his  Spanish  ear. 
A  jury  was  quickly  gathered  in  the  street,  and 
despite  refusals  to  serve,  the  crowd  hurried  them 
in  behind  the  bar. 

A  brief  statement  of  the  case  was  made  by  the 
ci-devant  advocate,  and  they  showed  the  jury  in- 
to a  commodious  poker-room  where  were  seats 
grouped  about  neat  green  tables.  The  noise 
outside,  in  the  bar-room,  by  and  by  died  away 
into  complete  silence,  but  from  afar  down  the 
canon  came  confused  sounds  as  of  disorderly 
cheering.  They  came  nearer,  and  again  the 
light-hearted  noise  of  human  laughter  mingled 
with  clinking  glasses  around  the  bar. 

A  low  knock  at  the  jury  door,  the  lock  burst 
in,  and  a  dozen  smiling  fellows  asked  the  ver- 
dict. A  foreman  promptly  answered,  "Not 
guilty." 

With  volleyed  oaths,  and  ominous  laying  of 
hands  on  pistol  hilts,  the  boys  slammed  the  door 
with  "  You'll  have  to  do  better  than  that." 

In  half  an  hour  the  advocate  gently  opened 
the  door  again. 

"  Your  opinion,  gentlemen  ?  " 

"  Guilty." 

"  Correct,  you  can  come  out.  We  hung  him 
an  hour  ago." 

The  jury  took  theirs  next,  and  when,  after  a 
few  minutes,  the  pleasant  village  returned  to  its 
former  tranquility,  it  was  "  allowed  "  at  more  than 
one  saloon,  that  "Mexicans'll  know  enough  to 
let  white  men's  stock  alone  after  this."  One 
and  another  exchanged  the  belief  that  this  sort 
of  thing  was  more  sensible  than  "  nipping  'em  on 
sight." 

When,  before  sunset,  the  bar-keeper  concluded 
to  sweep  some  dust  out  of  his  poker-room  back- 
door, he  felt  a  momentary  surprise  at  finding  the 
missing  horse  dozing  under  the  shadow  of  an 
oak,  and  the  two  lost  donkeys  serenely  masticat- 
ing playing-cards,  of  which  many  bushels  lay  in 
a  dirty  pile.  He  was  then  reminded  that  the 
animals  had  been  there  all  day. 

Rye  Patch, — 411  miles  from  San  Francisco, 
with  an  elevation  of  4,257  feet.  In  early  days, 
in  the  canons  that  put  down  from  the  mountains 
near  here  and  along  the  banks  of  the  little 
creeks  flowing  through  them,  there  were  large 
patches  of  wild  rye,  from  which  the  station  took 
its  name.  The  increase,  however,  in  the  herds 
of  the  stockmen  has  destroyed  its  native  growth, 
and  it  is  now  seldom  seen.  It  is  a  small  station 
with  a  store  and  saloon,  freight-house,  side  track, 


197 


etc.  It  is  the  location  of  a  ten-stamp  mill  owned 
by  the  Rye  Patch  Mill  and  Mining  Company, 
and  which  is  supplied  by  ore  taken  from  the 
company's  mine  in  the  mountains  on  our  left. 
This  mine  is  about  four  miles  distant  from  the 
station.  The  Rye  Patch  Mining  District,  and 
the  Eldorado  Mining  District,  six  miles  away, 
are  tributary  to  this  place.  The  train  stops  but 
a  moment,  and  as  you  look  to  the  mountains,  on 
the  left,  two  high  peaks  are  seen — the  left  one 
being  Stark  Peak,  and  the  right  one  Eldorado 
Mountain.  This  is  the  best  view  of  these  mount- 
ains that  can  be  obtained.  Leaving  this  station, 
the  mountains  of  the  Humboldt  Range  gradually 
dwindle  into  hills,  and  a  conical  or  isolated  little 
peak  across  the  range  is  seen.  It  seems  fully  as 
prominent  as  a  wart  on  a  man's  nose.  It  is  called 
Black  Knob — a  very  appropriate  name — and  near 
it  is  Relief  Mine  and  mill.  There  is  no  stage  to 
this  mining  district,  and  its  principal  business 
point  is 

Oreana, — 400  miles  from  San  Francisco, 
with  an  elevation  of  4,181  feet.  The  descent 
from  Humboldt  has  been  quite  rapid,  and  we 
will  soon  be  at  the  lowest  elevation  in  this  great 
basin.  The  Antelope  Range  continues  on  the 
north-west,  and  the  Humboldt  Range  on  the 
left,  though  the  peaks  in  these  ranges  grow 
smaller  as  we  pass  this  place.  Oreana  is  the 
railroad  and  business  point  for  the  following 
mining  districts  :  in  the  Antelope  Range  is  the 
Trinity  District,  seven  miles  away,  ore  princi- 
pally milling.  The  Governor  Booth  Mine  has 
the  most  development  thus  far,  though  other 
prospects  are  said  to  be  looking  well.  Some  of 
the  ore  found  in  this  district  is  claimed  to  be 
very  rich.  Adjoining  this  is  the  Arabia  Dis- 
trict, five  miles  from  the  station ;  it  has  smelt- 
ing ore.  Three  miles  from  the  mine  and  two 
miles  from  the  station,  on  the  Humboldt  River, 
which  has  been  dammed  at  this  point,  are  the 
smelting  furnaces,  where  the  ore  is  reduced  to 
base  bullion.  There  is  also  a  small  stamp  mill 
at  this  point.  The  principal  mines  thus  far 
developed  in  this  district  are  the  Vanderbilt, 
Montezuma  and  Hurricane,  and  the  ore  is  said 
to  average  33  per  cent,  metal. — lead,  antimony 
and  silver.  South  of  the  railroad  first  comes 
the  Sacrament  District,  seven  miles  away.  It  has 
milling  ore  but  the  prospects  are  not  yet  devel- 
oped. Spring  Valley  District  is  next,  12  miles 
distant.  The  ore  is  gold  and  silver,  and  the 
Eagle  Mine  has  a  fifteen-stamp  mill  in  operation 
reducing  the  ore.  Relief  District  follows,  16  miles 
from  Oreana.  It  has  milling  ore  and  a  five- 
stamp  mill.  At  the  south  end  of  this  district,  is 
a  very  superior  mine  of  antimony,  the  ores  of 
which  are  brought  to  this  station  and  shipped  to 
San  Francisco.  Bolivia  District  is  40  miles 
away,  and  abounds  in  copper  ore.  Tidal  Wave 
is  the  name  of  the  principal  mine ;  Kellogg's 
Mine  is  next  in  importance.  Conveyances  to  these 


mining  districts  can  be  obtained  at  Oreana. 
The  region  round  about  the  station  is  occupied 
by  stockmen,  and  large  numbers  of  cattle  and 
horses  are  grazing  upon  the  extensive  ranges  in 
the  vicinity.  No  traveler  will  be  able  to  see 
what  they  live  on,  but  stockmen  claim  that  they 
relish  the  white  sage  which  abounds  here,  and 
that  they  will  grow  fat  upon  it.  The  very  air  is 
heavily  perfumed  with  sage. 

Leaving  Oreana,  we  pass  round  a  curve  where 
the  Humboldt  River  bends  in  toward  the  hills 
on  our  left,  and  soon  cross  the  river  which  makes 
its  way  into  Humboldt  Lake.  After  crossing 
the  river,  the  large  growth  of  sage  brush  and 
greasewood  shows  that  the  soil  in  this  vicinity 
is  very  rich  and  that,  properly  cultivated  and 
well  supplied  with  water,  it  will  produce  im- 
mense crops. 

Lovelock's, — 389  miles  from  San  Francisco, 
with  an  elevation  of  3,977  feet.  It  is  a  side 
track  station  with  a  telegraph  office,  a  store, 
post-office  and  a  few  adjoining  buildings.  The 
Humboldt  River  near  here,  spreads  out  over  con- 
siderable territory — a  fact  which  renders  irri- 
gation comparatively  easy.  It  has  also  caused 
the  formation  of  a  large  body  of  natural  mead- 
ows, from  which  immense  quantities  of  hay  are 
cut  and  shipped  to  different  points  along  the 
line  of  the  road.  It  is  also  a  fine  grazing  region 
and  large  herds  of  cattle  are  fattened  here  upon  the 
rich  native  grasses  and  the  white  sage.  There  are 
three  varieties  of  the  sage  brush  to  be  found  on 
the  plains  and  on  the  deserts.  The  largest  kind 
is  used  as  fuel  for  the  engines  at  several  stamp 
mills ;  white  sage  is  considerably  smaller  and 
affords  grazing  for  both  cattle  and  sheep ;  the 
clover  sage,  still  smaller,  is  not  as  plentiful  as  the 
former  kinds,  but  is  highly  relished  by  sheep. 
Thus  we  have  at  last  found  the  uses  to  which 
this  shrub  is  applied.  Even  greasewood,  when 
it  first  starts  up  in  the  spring,  and  before  it 
hardens,  is  a  favorite  food  with  sheep  and  swine. 

There  is  quite  a  settlement  of  farmers  near 
Loveldck's.  The  station  itself  is  named  after  a 
gentleman  who  lives  near  it.  and  who  is  an  old 
settler  in  this  part  of  the  country.  Farms  are 
being  cleared  of  sage  brush  and  greasewood, 
irrigating  ditches  are  being  dug,  and  the  success 
which  has  hitherto  attended  the  growing  of 
barley  and  potatoes,  induces  quite  a  number  to 
engage  in  the  business,  and  a  black,  rich  soil 
gives  every  promise  of  encouragement.  Before 
the  railroad  came,  the  meadow  or  pasture  lands 
here  were  renowned  among  the  emigrants,  par- 
ties of  whom  recruited  their  stock  after  the 
wearisome  journey  across  the  plains.  The 
meadows  are  off  to  the  left  of  the  road,  as  you 
pass,  and  are  not  conspicuous  from  the  cars. 
After  leaving  Rye  Patch,  the  Humboldt  Mount- 
ains on  our  left  dwindle  considerably,  and  are 
neither  ragged  nor  formidable  after  reaching 
this  place.  The  same  is  likewise  true  of  the 


198 


Trinity  Range  on  our  right.  They  are  low, 
barren,  tinged  with  reddish  brown ;  the  evi- 
dences of  volcanic  action  become  more  apparent 
as  we  pass,  and  the  broken  lava  of  the  desert, 
the  cinders  and  sconce,  visible  in  places,  speak  of 
the  time  when  the  mountain  ranges  near  here, 
were  seething  volcanoes  and  vomited  forth 
smoke,  flames,  fire  and  lava  with  great  profu- 
sion. Passing  Lovelock's  we  soon  arrive  at  a 
point,  where  a  glimpse  can  be  obtained  of  the 
waters  of  Humboldt  Lake,  just  under  the  mount- 
ain ridge  on  our  left.  We  have  also  passed  by 
the  richer  soil  that  surrounds  the  last  station, 
and  entered  upon  the  barren  desert  again. 

Granite  Point, — 380  miles  from  San  Fran- 
cisco, with  an  elevation  of  3,918  feet.  Approach- 
ing the  sink  in  this  great  basin,  it  will  be  seen 
that  our  elevation  is  decreasing,  but  this  will 
only  last  for  a  short  distance,  and  then  it  will 
be  up  hill  again.  On  the  right  of  the  station, 
which  is  merely  a  side  track,  there  is  a  ragged, 
broken  mountain,  which  undoubtedly  gives  the 
place  its  name.  It  is  the  only  thing  curious  or 
interesting  to  be  seen  from  the  cars.  As  we  leave 
this  place  the  lake  comes  into  full  view — a  beau- 
tiful sheet  of  water  with  white,  salty  incrusta- 
tions all  around  it,  like  a  cloud  fringed  with  a 
silver  border.  The  waters  on  the  shore  nearest 
the  road,  are  said  to  be  far  more  brackish  and 
saline  in  character  than  those  on  the  farther 
side.  The  channel  through  the  lake  is  on  that 
side,  and  probably  the  cause  of  the  difference. 
The  lake  abounds  in  fish  but  they  are  mostly 
in  the  fresh  water  channel,  and  at  the  proper 
season  it  is  a  great  resort  for  pelicans,  wild 
geese  and  ducks.  We  approach  nearer  the  shore 
as  we  pass  to 

Brown's, — 373  miles  from  San  Francisco, 
with  an  elevation  of  3,929  feet.  It  is  a  coaling 
station,  and  engines  sometimes  take  water  from 
the  tank,  pumped  from  the  lake,  though  it  is 
poor  stuff  to  make  steam  with.  Above  the 
nearer  range  of  mountains,  just  across  the  lake, 
can  be  seen  the  tops  of  a  farther  and  higher 
range  in  the  distance.  This  higher  range  runs 
south  of  the  Humboldt  and  Carson  Sink,  and 
looms  into  view  as  the  nearer  range  gives  way. 
Humboldt  Lake  was  not  as  large  formerly  as 
now, — in  fact  it  was  a  simple  widening  of  the 
river  as  it  entered  the  gateway  of  the  sink  be- 
low. At  the  foot  of  the  lake  a  ridge  of  land  ex- 
tends nearly  across  the  valley,  and  there  was  some- 
thing of  a  gorge  through  which  the  outlet  passed. 
The  opportunity  to  build  a  dam  was  thus 
improved,  and  what  was  formerly  a  little  widen- 
ing in  the  river,  has  now  become  a  lake  about 
35  miles  long  and  from  16  to  18  miles  wide  in 
the  widest  places.  It  is  filled  with  islands 
caused  by  this  rise,  and  the  head  or  volume  of 
water  thus  accumulated  serves  to  run  a  stamp 
mill,  located  a  few  miles  below  the  station  and 
under  a  reddish  bluff  across  the  valley.  Ore  for 


this  mill  has  been  found  in  the  mountains  near  it, 
and  some  is  brought  from  the  range  on  the 
north.  You  will  notice  an  island  nearly  op- 
posite the  station,  and  may  be  interested  to 
know  that  it  was  part  of  the  main  land  before  the 
dam  was  built.  The  mountains  on  each  side  of 
the  track,  now  become  high  hills  though,  occa- 
sionally, a  ragged  peak  is  seen,  to  relieve  the 
monotony  of  the  journey.  We  pass  over  the 
ridge  of  land  before  spoken  of,  and  fairly  enter 
upon  what  is  the  beginning  of  the  Humboldt 
and  Carson  Sink.  We  pass  down  on  the  low 
alkali  flats  which  are  whitened  with  salt,  and 
which  extend  for  miles  as  far  as  the  eye  can 
reach,  off  to  our  left. 

White  Plains,— ml  miles  from  San  Fran- 
cisco, with  an  elevation  of  3,894  feet — the  lowest 
point  we  reach  in  this  great  basin.  The  place — 
a  side  track,  is  appropriately  named  for  it  is 
surrounded  by  a  white  alkali  desert,  covered  in 
places  with  salt  and  alkali  deposits. 

The  evidences  of  volcanic  action  and  a  lava 
formation  are  everywhere  visible  in  the  hills  and 
on  the  plains  in  this  vicinity.  Though  the  plains 
immediately  adjoining  the  station  are  white  with 
alkali  or  salty  deposits,  yet  the  ridge  and  uplands 
to  the  right  are  covered  with  the  reddish,  porous 
rocks  and  finer  blackish  sand  which  always  ac- 
company this  formation.  At  White  Plains  we 
have  reached  the  lowest  elevation  on  the  Central 
Pacific,  east  of  the  Sierras.  We  are,  in  fact, 
almost  in  the  sink  itself  of  the  Humboldt  and 
Carson  Rivers.  The  low  flats  stretching  away 
to  our  left,  are  usually  more  or  less  covered  with 
water  in  the  season  of  floods,  and  the  two  rivers 
virtually  unite  in  this  great  valley  or  basin. 
There  is  no  visible  outlet  to  these  streams,  or 
rather  to  this  basin,  and  the  immense  drainage 
of  these  two  rivers  sinks  in  the  sand  and  is  taken 
up  by  evaporation.  The  oldest  settlers  in  this 
region  of  country,  hold  to  the  opinion  that  the 
water  is  taken  up  by  evaporation,  and  say  that  at 
certain  seasons  of  the  year  this  process  is  very 
rapid — large  bodies  of  land  covered  with  water 
becoming  thoroughly  dry  in  a  few  days. 

Leaving  White  Plains,  we  again  begin  to  go 
up  a  grade.  We  have  to  cross  a  divide  between 
White  Plains  and  the  Hot  Spring  Valley.  This 
divide  is  reached  at 

Miracfe, — 355  miles  from  San  Francisco,  with 
an  elevation  of  4,247  feet.  It  is  simply  a  side 
track  with  no  habitation  near  it  but  a  section- 
house— and  is  near  the  summit  of  the  divide. 
This  place,  like  many  others,  is  named  from  some 
peculiarity  of  location  or  from  some  character- 
istic of  the  country.  The  wonderful  optical  de- 
lusions that  are  apparently  seen  here,  have  given 
it  a  suggestive  name.  When  the  conditions  of 
the  atmosphere  are  favorable,  wonderful  visions 
of  lakes,  mountains,  trees,  rivei's,  etc.,  can  be  seen. 
It  is  reported  that  many  a  weary  emigrant  in  the 
days  of  old,  was  deceived  by  the  optical  illusions 


199 


that  here  seemed  so  real,  and  wondered  why  he 
did  not  reach  the  cooling  lakes  and  spreading 
shade  that  seemed  so  near  and  was  yet  so  far 
away.  The  heat  of  summer  during  the  day 
time  on  these  plains  is  almost  intolerable.  The 
dust,  sometimes  blowing  in  clouds,  is  suffo- 
cating, and  long  distances  add  to  the  incon- 
venience of  wagon  travel,  without  water.  But 
overland  travelers  on  the  trains  have  more 
comforts.  No  matter  how  oppressive  the  day, 
yet  the  moment  the  sun  is  set,  a  lovely  cool 
breeze  comes  from  the  mountains,  the  air  be- 
comes fresh,  and  sleep  is  delightful.  The 
heat  and  dust  of  the  day  is  soon  forgotten 
in  the  comforts  of  the  pure,  cool  night  at- 
mosphere. Crossing  a  low  divide,  the  end  of 
the  Antelope  Range  we  reach 

Hot  Springs, — 346  miles  from  San  Fran- 
cisco, with  an  elevation  of  4,072  feet.  This  is  a  tel- 
egraph station  with  side  track,  section-houses,  etc. 
Great  efforts  have  been  made  here  to  sink  arte- 
sian wells  in  order  to  obtain  fresh  water  for  the 
use  of  the  road.  First  a  depth  of  800  feet  was 
reached,  then  1,000  feet,  and  lastly  1,300  feet, 
but  all  without  success.  In  some  portions  of 
work  very  rapid  progress  would  be  made — 95 
feet  having  been  made  in  one  day — then  some 
hard,  flinty  rock  would  be  struck,  and  progress 
of  less  than  one  foot  per  day  would  be  the  result. 

The  station  is  in  the  midst  of  a  desert,  and  is 
named  from  the  Hot  Springs,  whose  rising  steam 
can  readily  be  seen  about  half  a  mile  from  the 
track  on  the  left.  There  are  quite  a  number  of 
them  boiling  hot.  They  formerly  extended 
along  the  base  of  the  hill,  still  farther  to  the  left, 
and  nearer  the  track,  but  while  they  seem  to 
have  dried  up  in  one  locality,  they  have  broken 
out  in  another.  These  springs  are  now  owned 
by  a  German  company,  who  have  a  dwelling- 
house,  and  works  for  producing  borax,  erected 
near  by.  They  were  badly  "  sold  "  by  sharpers 
who  induced  them  to  believe  that  borax,  in 
large  quantities,  could  be  obtained  here.  They 
sent  out  an  expert  who  was  induced  to  make 
a  favorable  report  to  the  effect  that  there  were 
inexhaustible  quantities  of  the  mineral  to  be 
found  near  here.  As  a  consequence,  they  in- 
vested large  sums  of  money  in  the  purchase  of 
the  mines  and  in  the  erection  of  works.  We 
believe  some  60  boxes  of  the  manufactured  arti- 
cle was  all  that  was  ever  turned  out,  and  then 
the  mine  suddenly  gave  out,  the  production 
ceased,  of  course,  and  the  company,  after  an  ex- 
penditure estimated. at  about  a  quarter  million  of 
dollars,  ceased  operations,  their  property  re- 
maining idle.  These  springs  are  said  to  be  a  sov- 
ereign remedy  for  rheumatism  and  kindred  dis- 
eases, and  the  property  may  yet  be  utilized  as  an 
infirmary  or  watering-place  for  invalids.  The 
erection  of  a  bathing-house  would  be  all  that  is 
at  present  required.  The  steam  from  these 
springs  can  be  seen  for  quite  a  distance  in  the 


cool  mornings  of  the  winter,  and  in  the  spring 
and  fall  months.  Looking  off  to  the  right,  as 
far  as  the  eye  can  reach,  almost,  is  a  valley  com- 
ing in  from  the  north-east — a  dreary  waste  of 
sage  brush  and  alkali,  which  extends  across  the 
track,  over  low  hills,  to  the  sink  of  the  Carson. 
We  move  out  through  a  gap  in  the  hills,  and  in 
about  two  miles  come  to  the  salt  works.  Build- 
ings have  been  erected,  side  track  put  in,  and 
large  platforms  built  where  the  salt  is  stored  pre- 
paratory to  shipping.  The  whole  face  of  the 
country,  in  this  vicinity,  is  nearly  white,  the  saline 
water  rising  to  the  surface  and  evaporating,  leaves 
the  white  incrustations  to  glisten  in  the  sun.  The 
salt  obtained  here  is  produced  by  solar  evapora- 
tion, and  is  said  to  be  nearly  99  per  cent.  pure. 
Formerly  vats  were  tried,  but  they  were  found  to 
be  useless  and  unnecessary.  Vats  are  now  dug  in 
the  ground  and  the  salt  water  pumped  into  them. 
It  soon  evaporates,  and  after  a  sufficient  quantity 
has  accumulated,  it  is  shoveled  out,  drawn  to  the 
station,  ground  and  sacked,  when  it  is  ready  for 
the  market.  We  are  now  passing  over  one  of  the 
most  uninviting  portions  of  the  desert.  The 
range  of  mountains  directly  in  front  are  those 
through  which  the  Truckee  River  comes,  and  the 
valley,  both  north  and  south,  extends  beyond  our 
vision.  Away  off  to  the  left  we  can  see  the 
mountains  south  of  the  Carson  Sink  and  River. 
The  aspect  of  the  desert  becomes  more  dreary  as 
we  approach 

Desert,— 335  miles  from  San  Francisco ;  ele- 
vation, 4,018  feet.  It  is  only  a  side  track,  rightly 
named,  and  passenger  trains  seldom  stop.  The 
winds  that  sweep  the  barren  plains  here  heap  the 
sand  around  the  scattering  sage  brush  like  huge 
potato  hills.  Now  we  turn  toward  the  right 
approaching  the  base  of  the  adjoining  hills,  while 
boulders  of  lava,  large  and  small,  greet  the  eye. 
The  hill  on  our  right,  dwindles  into  the  plain ; 
we  round  it,  toward  the  right,  and  arrive  at 

Two-Mile, — 329  miles  from  San  Francisco ; 
elevation, 4, 156  feet.  The  gap,  in  the  mountain 
range  in  front,  now  opens  and  we  see  where  the 
Truckee  River  comes  tumbling  down.  The 
valley  extends,  on  the  right,  till  it  is  lost  in  Pyra- 
mid Lake.  We  pass  rapidly  on,  and  in  a  short 
distance  pitch  down  a  steep  grade  into  the  valley 
of  the  Truckee,  where  green  grass,  green  trees 
and  flowing  water,  God's  best  gift  to  man,  again 
greet  our  vision. 

Rabbit  drives  and  Rabbit  Robes. — The 
Piutes  have  a  very  clever  way  of  catching  rab- 
bits, by  a  method  called  "  rabbit  drives  "  in  this 
country.  They  make  some  long,  narrow  nets 
like  fish-seines  from  the  bark  of  the  willow,  or  from 
wild  hemp,  and  hold  them  up  on  edge  by  means 
of  sticks,  which  they  fasten  in  the  ground  at  in- 
tervals ;  the  part  of  net  next  to  the  ground  is 
held  there  by  weights — just  as  seine  is  managed. 
These  nets  they  spread  in  the  shape  of  the  letter 
"V,"  with  the  arms  extended  to  receive  the 


200 


game  when  it  shall  be  driven  in.  One  Indian 
crouches  in  the  enclosure  for  a  purpose  which 
will  be  explained  hereafter.  The  nets  are 
woven  coarsely,  so  that  a  rabbit's  head,  once 
through  the  meshes,  is  tight.  Late  in  the  fall 
or  early  in  the  winter,  when  a  light  snow  has 
covered  the  ground,  the  Indians  will  set  their 
nets  generally  across  some  valley  and  prepare 
for  the  "drive."  From  twenty-five  to  sixty  of 
them,  the  more  the  better,  will  start  out  and 
go  quietly  away  from  the  net  some  ten  or  twelve 
miles.  This  company  is  composed  of  Indians, 
squaws,  and  children  armed  with  sticks,  old 
sacks  or  blankets  which  they  can  nourish  in 
the  air,  and  when  they  have  arrived  where  they 
propose  to  commence  the  drive,  they  spread  out 
in  a  semi-circular  form,  and  begin  to  hoot  and 
yell,  swinging  their  rags  around  their  heads,  and 
beating  the  sage  brush  with  their  sticks.  The 
rabbits,  very  much  frightened,  run  in  the  only 
direction  open  for  them,  while  the  Indians  press 
forward  to  the  net  and  gradually  draw  in  to- 
ward it.  The  rabbits  continue  their  flight  until 
they  are  fairly  within  the  arms  of  the  nets,  with 
the  Indians  close  upon  them.  The  Indians,  per- 
haps two  or  three  of  them — who  have  remained 
in  the  net  perfectly  still  until  the  frightened 
rabbits  surround  them,  suddenly  rise  up  with 
a  shout,  and  the  frantic  creatures  wildly  rush 
hither  and  thither  and  finally  dash  into  the 
meshes  of  the  net,  which  holds  them  by  the 
neck  so  that  they  cannot  escape.  Then  follows 
"  the  slaughter  of  the  innocents."  The  Indians 
pass  along  and  tap  the  rabbits  over  the  head, 
the  squaws  secure  the  game,  and  the  whole 
drive  results  in  a  big  feast,  wherein  the  course 
begins  and  ends  with  rabbit  ad  libitum.  Our 
informant  stated  that  he  had  known  from  500  to 
1,000  rabbits  to  be  caught  in  this  way,  in  one 
drive. 

About  Rabbit  Robes. — The  traveler  has 
doubtless  noticed  the  gray  fur  robes,  which 
adorn  the  persons  of  a  large  number  of  the 
Indians  seen  on  the  road  west  of  Ogden.  These 
robes  are  a  curious  piece  of  workmanship  in 
some  respects.  They  are  not  made  of  whole 
rabbit-skins  sewed  together,  as  wolf  and  coon- 
skin  robes  are  made.  When  the  rabbits  are 
skinned,  their  hides  are  at  once  cut  into  narrow 
strips  with  the  fur  on.  These  strips  are  sewed 
together  until  the  right  length  for  a  robe  is 
secured,  and  then  they  are  twisted  like  a  rope — 
in  fact,  become  fur  ropes.  These  are  used  the 
same  as  "  filling  "  in  woolen  or  cotton  cloth,  as 
distinguished  from  the  "  warp."  You  can  press 
your  fingers  through  these  robes  at  pleasure — 
the  threads  of  the  "  warp  "  being  from  one  to 
three  inches  apart.  This  warp  is  made  from  the 
sinews  of  animals,  from  the  bark  of  willows,  or 
from  the  wild  hemp  which  the  Indians  gather 
for  this  purpose.  It  is.  very  stout  and  very  du- 
rable, and  is  not  perceptible  as  you  casually  ex- 


amine one  of  these  robes.  The  Indians  value  a 
rabbit-skin  robe  very  highly,  and  much  prefer 
them  to  blankets,  though  it  takes  a  good  deal  of 
time  and  patience  to  make  one.  This  work, 
however,  is  all  done  by  the  squaws,  and  is  taken 
as  a  matter  of  course  by  the  '*'  bucks  "  of  the 
tribe. 

Wadsworth, —  328  miles  from  San  Fran- 
cisco ;  elevation.  4,077  feet.  It  is  a  little  vil- 
lage of  about  400  inhabitants,  nestled  down  in 
the  valley  of  the  Truckee  and  overshadowed  by 
the  range  of  mountains  beyond.  The  railroad 
has  a  twenty-stall  roundhouse,  65  feet  deep,  with 
over  500  feet  of  circular  length.  The  machine 
shop  has  six  working  stalls  where  engines  are 
repaired,  and  is  75  by  130  feet.  Engines  are 
here  entirely  rebuilt.  At  one  end  of  this  shop  a 
piece  of  ground  has  been  fenced  in,  a  fountain 
erected,  trees  planted,  and  alfalfa  and  blue-grass 
sown.  It  affords  a  refreshing  sight  to  the  me- 
chanics here  employed,  and  strangely  contrasts 
with  the  barren  desert  surrounding  the  place. 
The  engines  used  on  that  part  of  the  division 
between  Winnemucca  and  this  place,  have  very 
large  tenders,  the  tanks  in  them  holding  3,800 
gallons  of  water.  They  run  70  miles  without 
taking  water  on  the  line  of  the  road.  Other 
shops  for  the  convenience  of  the  road  are  located 
near  by.  The  huge  water  tank  in  which  water  is 
stored  for  use  of  shops  and  engines,  has  a  capacity 
of  60,000  gallons.  Hydrants  have  been  erected, 
connected  with  it  by  pipes,  and  hose  supplied  by 
which  the  water  may  be  quickly  applied  in  case 
of  fire,  to  any  part  of  the  buildings.  The  road 
passes  from  Wadsworth  to  Sacramento  through 
a  mountainous  region  of  country,  where  there  is 
plenty  of  timber  and,  hence,  wood  is  used  for 
fuel  on  the  engines  between  these  two  places. 
Between  Ogden  and  this  place  coal  taken  from 
the  mines  north  of  Evanston,  on  the  Union 
Pacific  Road,  is  used.  West  of  Sacramento,  coal 
from  Oregon  and  Washington  Territory  is  used. 
Between  Wadsworth  and  Truckee  some  trouble 
has  been  experienced  with  snow,  and  in  some 
places  huge  boulders  roll  down  on  the  track 
which  are  knocked  out  of  the  way  by  the  snow- 
plows  on  the  engines.  This  is  a  novel  use  for 
snow-plows.  In  addition  to  the  machine  shops, 
there  is  a  large  freight  building  and  other 
offices  for  the  convenience  of  the  company.  The 
town  has  several  large  stores,  hotels,  saloons, 
with  China  houses,  ad  libitum,  and  is,  altogether, 
the  place  of  considerable  trade.  Huge  freight 
wagons,  from  two  to  four  attached  together,  are 
here  loaded  with  freight  for  the  mining  districts 
south.  These  large  wagons,  with  their  teams 
attached,  are  quite  a  curiosity  to  eastern  trav- 
elers, and  fully  illustrate  how  western  men  do 
their  freighting. 

The  following  mining  districts  do  business 
at  this  station:  Columbus,  borax  mines,  130 
miles  distant ;  Teal's  Marsh  borax  Mines,  140 


201 


miles  away ;  the  Pacific  Borax  Works  are  20  miles 
south-east  of  Columbus  still ;  the  Bellville  Min- 
ing District,  140  miles  distant.  In  this  dis- 
trict the  celebrated  Northern  Bell  Silver  Mine  is 
located,  also  the  General  Thomas  and  others  less 
prominent.  Silver  Peak  Mining  District  is  110 
miles  distant.  These  districts,  and  others  not 
named  here,  are  all  south  of  Wadsworth.  Rhodes' 
Salt  Marsh,  an  immense  salt  deposit,  is  about 
130  miles  distant.  There  is  salt  enough  in  this 
deposit  to  preserve  the  world,  if  reports  as  to  its 
extent,  etc.,  prove  true. 


there  are  three  bodies  of  water  which  travelers 
will  more  fully  understand  by  an  explanation. 
Humboldt  Lake  proper,  into  which  flows  the 
Humboldt  River,  we  pass  at  Brown's  Station. 
A  little  south-west  of  this  lake  is  the  Humboldt 
and  Carson  Sink  —  the  waters  from  the  lake 
seeping  through  a  channel  or  slough  into  the 
sink.  The  dam  at  the  foot  of  the  lake  is  across 
this  outlet  or  slough.  The  waters  from  Car- 
son Lake  flowing  nearly  east,  find  their  way 
into  this  sink  through  a  similar  outlet.  Thus 
the  waters  of  the  two  rivers,  the  Humboldt 


PYRAMID  LAKE. 


From  Wadsworth  to  Carson  Lake,  south,  the 
distance  is  about  40  miles.  This  lake  is  named 
from  the  river  of  the  same  name,  which  flows 
into,  or  rather  through  it.  Directly  south  of 
Carson  Lake  is  Walker  Lake  into  which  flows 
Walker  River.  The  lake  last  named  has  no 
visible  outlet,  and  is  one  of  the  sinks  of  the  great 
basin  east  of  the  Sierras.  South  of  the  railroad, 


and  Carson,  each  flowing  through  a  small  lake, 
finally  meet  in  the  same  sink.  To  this  sink 
there  is  no  visible  outlet,  and  the  vast  amount 
of  water  which  is  poured  into  this  basin  through 
these  two  rivers  is  undoubtedly  taken  up  on  its 
way,  or  after  its  arrival  into  this  common  sink, 
by  evaporation. 

The  Humboldt  River,  though  it  has  a  length 


202 


of  500  miles,  and  has  several  tributaries  con- 
stantly flowing  into  it,  yet  does  not  increase  in 
volume,  throughout  its  length,  as  do  most  rivers. 
After  passing  Winnemucca  it  diminishes  to  a 
small  stream,  finally  spreads  into  a  marsh  and 
"  sinks  "  out  of  sight. 

In  addition  to  the  mining  districts  south  of 
the  railroad,  the  Soda  Lakes  and  refining  works 
must  not  be  forgotten.  These  are  now  in  active 
operation,  and  the  results  are  the  frequent  ship- 
ments from  this  place. 

North  of  Wadsworth  about  21  miles  is  Pyr- 
amid Lake,  and  east  of  it,  .separated  by  Lake 
Range  of  Mountains,  which  can  plainly  be  seen 
from  Wadsworth, — is  Winuemucca  Lake,  26 
miles  distant.  Both  of  them  are  sinks,  and 
have  no  visible  outlet.  Both  of  them  receive  the 
waters  of  Truckee  River,  and  the  latter  is  said 
to  be  rising, — being  several  feet  higher  now  than 
it  was  ten  years  ago. 

Curiosities  of  Pyramid  Lake. — In  1867 
a  surveying  party  visited  this  lake,  which  they 
found  to  be  12  miles  long  and  30  miles  wide. 
The  lake  takes  its  name  from  a  remarkable  rock 
formation,  a  pyramid  which  towers  above  the 
lake  to  a  height  of  more  than  500  feet,  and  pre- 
sents in  its  outlines  the  most  perfect  form.  Upon 
visiting  this  pyramid,  the  party  found  it  occupied 
with  tenants  who  were  capable  of  holding  their 
ground  against  all  intrudei-s. 

From  every  crevice  there  seemed  to  come  a  hiss. 
The  rattling,  too,  was  sharp  and  long-continued. 
The  whole  rock  was  alive  with  rattlesnakes. 
Even  in  the  party  those  who  had  been  champion 
snake  exterminators,  and  had  demolished  them 
on  all  previous  occasions,  now  found  the  combat 
beyond  their  power  to  carry  on,  and  abandoned 
the  island  with  all  hope  of  victory. 

The  water  of  Pyramid  Lake  is  clear,  sparkling. 
In  it  are  said  to  be  fish,  principally  among  which 
is  the  comer,  very  sprightly,  with  flesh  the  color 
of  salmon.  The  weight  of  the  fish  ranges  from 
3  to  20  pounds.  There  is  also  said  to  be  an 
abundance  of  trout. 

Winnemucca  Lake  is  also  stated  to  be  some 
200  feet  lower  than  Pyramid  Lake,  its  basin 
being  on  the  east  side  of  Lake  Range  of  Mount- 
ains. The  Truckee  River  and  these  two  lakes 
are  great  resorts  for  ducks,  geese  and  pelicans. 
The  latter  abound  here  in  large  numbers  in  the 
spring.  An  island  in  Pyramid  Lake  is  a  great 
resort  for  them  and  there,  undisturbed,  they  rear 
their  young.  These  birds  are  very  destructive 
to  the  _  fish  of  the  river  and  lake.  They  will 
stand  in  the  shallow  water  of  the  entrance  to  the 
lake  for  hours,  and  scoop  up  any  unwary  fish 
that  may  happen  to  pass  within  their  reach. 
They  are  apparently  harmless,  and  of  no  earthly 
use  whatever.  The  huge  sacks  on  their  under 
jaws,  are  used  to  carry  food  and  water  to  their 
young.  These  waddle  around  before  they  fly — a 
shapeless,  uncouth  mass,  and  easily  destroyed  be- 


cause unable  to  get  out  of  the  way.  A  man  with 
a  club  could  kill  thousands  of  them  in  a  day, 
without  much  difficulty. 

North  of  Pyramid  Lake  is  Mud  Lake,  another 
sink  of  this  great  basin,  and  a  little  north-east  of 
Winnemucca  Lake  is  the  sink  of  Quin's  River 
and  other  streams.  In  fact,  they  lose  their  iden- 
tity in  flowing  across  the  desert, — are  swallowed 
up  by  the  thirsty  sands. 

On  the  north,  Pyramid  Lake  Mining  District 
is  15  miles  away.  This  is  a  new  district,  and 
said  to  contain  good  "  prospects."  Mud  Lake 
District,  similar  in  character,  is  75  miles  due 
north  from  AVadsworth.  Black  Butte  District 
on  the  east  side  of  Winnemucca  Lake,  is  about 
28  miles  distant. 

The  Piute  reservation,  or  rather  one  of  them, 
begins  about  seven  miles  north  of  the  town. 
The  reservation  house,  which  is  supposed  to  be 
the  place  where  the  government  officers  reside,  is 
16  miles  away.  There  is  another  reservation  for 
these  Indians  south,  on  Walker  River.  They 
have  some  very  good  land  near  the  lake,  and 
some  of  them  cultivate  the  soil, — raising  good 
crops. 

There  is  considerable  good  bottom-land  on  the 
Truckee  River,  between  Wadsworth  and  Pyra- 
mid Lake.  That  which  is  not  included  in  the 
Indian  reservation  is  occupied  by  stockmen  and 
farmers,  much  of  it  being  cultivated  and  pro- 
ducing excellent  crops  of  cereals  and  vegetables. 
The  experiments  thus  far  tried  in  fruit  growing 
have  been  successful,  and  in  a  few  years  there 
will  be  a  home  supply  of  fruit  equal  to  home 
demand. 

The  arrival  at  Wadsworth  is  a  great  relief  to 
the  tourist  weary  with  the  dull,  unchanging 
monotony  of  the  plains,  the  desert  and  bleak 
desolation  which  he  has  passed.  The  scenes  are 
now  to  change  and  another  miniature  world 
is  to  open  upon  his  view.  There  is  to  be 
variety — beauty,  grandeur  and  sublimity.  If 
he  enters  this  place  at  night,  the  following  day 
will  reveal  to  him  the  green  fields  and  magnifi- 
cent landscapes  of  California,  and  in  less  than 
24  hours,  he  will  be  able  to  feast  his  greedy  eyes 
upon  a  glowing  sunset  on  the  Pacific  Coast. 

Leaving  Wadsworth  we  cross  the  Truckee 
River  and  gaze  with  delight  upon  the  trees,  the 
green  meadows,  the  comfortable  farm-house,  and 
well-tilled  fields  of  the  ranche  on  our  left,  just 
across  the  bridge.  Like  evei-ything  else  lovely 
in  this  world,  it  soon  fades  from  our  vision,  as 
we  rapidly  pass  into  the  Truckee  Canon.  The 
mountains"  now  come  down  on  either  side  as 
though  they  would  shake  hands  across  the  silver 
torrent  that  divides  them.  The  valley  narrows 
as  if  to  hasten  their  cordial  grasp,  and  to  remove 
all  obstacles  in  their  way.  Now  it  widens  _  a 
little  as  though  it  was  not  exactly  certain 
whether  these  mountains  should  come  together 
or  not,  and  wanted  to  consider  the  matter.  But 


SCENES  ON  THE  TRUCKEE  RIVER.— BY  THOMAS  MOHAN. 

l.-Truckee  Meadows,  Sierras  in  the  distance.    2.-Pleasant  Valley.    3.-Trueh««  Kiver.  near  State  I4ne. 

4.-Bed  Bluff,  Truckee  Kiver.    6.-Bridge  at.Eagle  Gap.    6,-Xruckee  River  Rapids. 


204 


leaving  this  question  to  the  more  practical 
thoughts  of  our  readers,  we  hasten  on,  winding 
around  promontories  and  in  and  out  of  "  draws  " 
and  ravines,  through  rocky  cuts,  and  over  high 
embankments  with  the  river  rolling  and  tumbling 
almost  beneath  our  feet,  and  the  ragged  peaks 
towering  high  above  us,  passing 

Salvia, — a  simple  side  track,  six  miles  from 
Wadsworth.  Now  we  have  something  to  occupy 
our  attention ;  there  are  new  scenes  passing  by 
at  every  length  of  the  car,  and  we  have  to  look 
sharp  and  quick,  or  many  of  them  will  be  lost 
forever.  Soon  we  make  a  short  turn  to  the  right, 
and  what  the  railroad  men  call  "  Red  Rock  "  ap- 
pears in  front,  then  to  our  right,  and  finally  over 
our  heads.  It  is  a  huge  mountain  of  lava  that 
has,  sometime,  in  the  ages  of  the  past,  been 
vomited  from  the  crater  of  some  volcano  now 
extinct ;  or  it  may  have  been  thrown  up  by  some 
mighty  convulsion  of  nature  that  fairly  shook 
the  rock-ribbed  earth  till  it  trembled  like  an  as- 
pen leaf,  and  in  which  these  huge  mountain  piles 
were  thrown  into  their  present  position.  Pres- 
ently, amidst  the  grandeur  of  these  mountains, 
a  lovely  valley  bursts  upon  our  view.  We  have 
arrived  at  the  little  meadows  of  the  Truckee,  at 
a  station  called 

Clark's, — 313  miles  from  San  Francisco,  with 
an  elevation  of  4,263  feet.  This  station  is  named 
from  a  former  proprietor  of  the  ranche  here.  It 
is  a  beautiful  place  with  mountains  all  around  it, 
and  the  only  way  you  can  see  out,  is  to  look  up 
toward  the  heavens.  The  narrow  bottom  on 
either  side  of  the  river  is  fenced  in,  producing 
excellent  crops  of  vegetables  and  hay,  and  afford- 
ing excellent  grazing  for  the  stock  that  is  kept 
here.  As  we  arrive  at  this  station,  we  pass 
through  a  cut  of  sand  which  seems  just  ready  to 
become  stratified,  and  which  holds  itself  up  in 
layers,  in  the  sides  of  the  cut.  Occasionally,  as 
we  look  over  the  nearer  peaks  in  front,  we  can 
catch  a  glimpse  of  the  snow-crowned  Sierras  in 
the  distance.  Now  a  creek  comes  in  from  a 
canon  on  our  left,  and  through  this  canon  is  a 
wagon  road  to  Virginia  City,  and  now  a  butte  is 
passed  between  us  and  the  river — the  river  being 
on  our  left  since  we  crossed  it  at  Wadsworth. 
There  are  a  few  ranches  scattered  along  its 
banks  where  vegetables  for  the  10,000  miners  at 
Virginia  City  are  grown.  The  mountains  we 
have  passed  are  full  of  variegated  streaks  of  clay 
or  mineral,  some  white,  some  red,  some  yellow, 
and  some  pale  green.  You  will  notice  them  as 
you  pass 

Vista, — 301  miles  from  San  Francisco;  ele- 
vation, 4,403  feet.  We  are  going  up  hill  again. 
At  this  station  we  arrive  at  the  Truckee  Mead- 
ows. It  is  like  an  immense  amphitheatre,  and 
the  traveler  rejoices  again  in  the  presence  of 
farm-houses  and  cultivated  fields — in  the  scene 
of  beauty  that  spreads  out  before  him.  Beyond 
the  level  plain,  we  see  in  front  of  us  Peavine 


Mountain  and  at  the  base  of  the  hills  to  the 
farther  side  of  the  valley,  lies  Reno.  To  our  left 
Mt.  Rose  lifts  its  snow-covered  head ;  to  the  left 
of  Mt.  Rose  is  Slide  Mountain. 

Letters. — Throughout  the  Territories  and  the 
Pacific  Coast, — letter  days,  when  the  Pony  Ex- 
press, Mail  Coaches  or  Steamer  arrived,  the  local 
population  was  wrought  up  to  its  most  intense 
excitement,  and  expectation  of  news.  In  the  Ter- 
ritory of  Montana  letters  could  not  be  obtained 
from  any  direction  by  regular  mails,  and  the  in- 
habitants depended  upon  the  good  offices  of 
traders,  who  journeyed  at  long  intervals  back 
and  forth,  who  brought  with  them  letters  and 
newspapers,  for  which,  gladly,  every  receiver 
paid  $2.50  gold.  Letters  in  California  were  re- 
ceived only  by  steam  via  the  Isthmus  of  Pan- 
ama, fully  30  days  being  occupied  in  the  trip 
from  New  York,  and  fully  90  days'  time  was 
necessary  to  send  a  letter  from  San  Francisco 
to  any  point  in  the  East,  and  receive  a  reply. 
Whenever  the  semi-monthly  steamer  arrived  at 
San  Francisco,  the  event  was  celebrated  by  the 
firing  of  guns,  and  the  ringing  of  bells,  and 
an  immediate  rush  for  the  post-office.  The  let- 
ter deliveries  from  the  post-office,  were  often 
from  a  window  opening  directly  upon  the 
public  street,  and  a  long  line  of  anxious  let- 
ter-seekers would  quickly  form — extending  oft- 
en half  a  mile  in  length.  Here  were  gathered 
the  characteristic  classes  of  California  life,  the 
"  gray  shirt  brigade  "  of  minei's,  many  of  whom 
in  their  rugged  life  had  not  heard  from  home 
for  a  full  year  ;  next  anxious  merchants  whose 
fate  depended  upon  their  letters  and  invoices,  and 
on  approaching  the  office,  had  only  a  feeling  of 
dismay  at  the  terrible  length  of  the  line,  with 
little  hope  of  approaching  the  window  for  hours. 
At  last  they  were  compelled  to  offer  sums  for  pur- 
chases of  place  from  some  fortunate  one  in  the 
line.  It  used  to  take  five  hours  or  longer,  on  or- 
dinary occasions,  to  get  to  the  window,  and  there 
were  lots  of  idlers  who  had  no  friends,  nor  ever 
expected  a  letter,  who  from  pure  mischief,  took 
their  places  in  the  line,  and  then  when  near  the 
window  sold  out  again.  From  $5  to  $20  were 
the  average  prices  for  fair  places,  but  $50  to 
$100  were  often  paid  for  a  good  position  near 
the  window.  Prices  were  in  proportion  to  the 
length  of  the  line  or  the  anxiety  of  the  individ- 
ual. The  expression  of  countenance  of  some  of 
those  paying  highest  rates,  when  forced  to  leave 
the  window  without  a  letter,  is  beyond  descrip- 
tion. "  Selling  out  in  the  line,"  soon  became  a 
trade,  and  many  a  loafer  made  his  $10  to  $20 — 
three  or  four  times  a  day.  Cases  have  even 
been  known,  where  over-anxious  individuals  in 
search  of  letters,  would  take  their  positions  at 
the  post-office  window,  one  or  two  days  before  the 
arrival  of  the  expected  steamer,  often  passing 
the  entire  night  standing  and  watching  at  the 
window,  and  only  leaving  it  when  forced  to  seek 


205 


food  and  drink.  It  often  happened  that  while 
temporarily  absent  from  their  post  a  few  min- 
utes, the  steamer's  gun  would  fire,  and  with  a 
break-neck  race  of  a  few  minutes  back  again, 
their  disgust  was  immense  to  be  compelled  to 
attach  themselves  to  the  extreme  end  of  a  line, 
from  one-fourth  to  one-half  a  mile  in  length,  so 
quickly  had  it  formed. 

An  Citing's  Theology :  a  Belief  in  the 
Devil. — A  traveler  encountered  once  Ah  Ching, 
a  Chinese  laundryman,  at  one  of  the  San  Fran- 
cisco hotels,  who  spoke  some  English  and  had 
some  intellect,  of  whom  he  asked  the  question, 
whether  he  believed  in  the  devil. 

"  Hallo,  John,  do  you  believe  in  him  ?  " 

"Ah,  velley,  Mellica  man,  me  believe  him," 

"  All  Chinamen  believe  in  him  ?  " 

"  Oh,  China  like  Mellica  man,  some  believe  him 
sahvey,  some  link  him  all  gosh  damn." 

Firing  off  the  Devil.  —  At  one  of  the 
Chinese  festivals,  conducted  by  the  Chinese 
priests,  a  large  figure  representing  the  devil  was 
brought  forward,  and  at  the  close  of  the  play  a 
torch  was  applied  to  him.  The  figure,  which 
was  full  of  fire-crackers,  "  went  off  "  in  brilliant 
style  till  nothing  was  left,  apparently,  but  the 
hideous  head  and  backbone;  these,  then,  shot 
upward,  like  a  huge  Roman  candle,  leaving  a 
trail  of  blue  fire,  and  exploded,  high  in  the  air, 
with  a  loud  report  followed  by  a  shower  of  sparks 
and  insufferable  stench,  and  that  was  supposed 
to  be  the  last  of  the  devil  for  another  year. 

The  apparent  reason  for  paying  so  much  at- 
tention to  the  devil  is  contained  in  the  answer 
made  by  one  of  the  worshipers:  "//"  God  good, 
why  pray?  'Tend  to  the  devil."  Hence  the  cere- 
mony of  getting  rid  of  him  at  regular  intervals. 

Carious  Names  Giveti  by  Miners. — 
Placerville  was,  in  1849,  called  Hangtown  because 
it  was  the  first  place  where  any  person  was 
hanged  by  lynch-law. 

Tin  Cup  was  so  named,  because  the  first  miners 
there  found  the  place  so  rich  that  they  measured 
their  gold  in  pint  tin  cups. 

Pine  Log  is  so  named  because  there  was  once 
a  pine  log  across  the  South  Fork  of  the  Stanis- 
laus River  in  such  a  position  as  to  offer  a  very 
convenient  crossing  to  miners. 

The  following  are  among  the  other  oddities 
which  have,  through  miners'  freaks  and  fancies, 
been  used  to  denote  settlements  and  camps  and 
diggings,  small  or  large : 


Jim  Crow  Canon, 
Red  Dog, 
Jackass  Gulch, 
Ladies'  Canon, 
Miller's  Defeat, 
Loafer  Hill, 
Rattlesnake  Bar, 
Whisky  Bar, 
Poverty  Hill, 
Greasers'  Camp, 


Gridiron  Bar, 
Hen-Roost  Camp, 
Lousy  Ravine, 
Lazy  Man's  Canon, 
Logtown, 
Git-Up-and-Git, 
Gopher  Flat, 
Bob  Ridley  Flat, 
One  Eye, 
Push  Coach  Hill, 


Christian  Flat, 
Rough  and  Ready, 
Ragtown, 
Sugar-Loaf  Hill, 
Paper  Flat, 
Wild-Cat  Bar, 
Dead  Mule  Canon, 
Wild  Goose  Flat, 
Brandy  Flat, 
Yankee  Doodle, 
Horsetown, 
Petticoat  Slide, 


Puppytown, 
Mad  Canon, 
Happy  Vallev, 
Hell's  Delight, 
Devil's  Basin, 
Dead  Wood, 
Gouge  Eye, 
Puke  Ravine, 
Slap-Jack  Bar, 
Bloomer  Hill, 
Grizzly  Flat, 
Rat-Trap  Slide, 


Chucklehead  Diggings,  Pike  Hill, 
Plug  Head  Gulch,  Port  Wine, 

Ground  Hog's  Glory,       Snow  Point, 
Bogus  Thunder,  Nary  Red, 

Last  Chance,  Gas  Hill, 

Greenhorn  Canon,  Ladies'  Valley, 

Shanghai  Hill,  Graveyard  Canon, 

Shirt-Tail  Canon,  Gospel  Gulch, 

Skunk  Gulch,  Chicken  Thief  Flat, 

Coon  Hollow,  Hungry  Camp, 

Poor  Man's  Creek,  Mud  Springs, 

Humbug  Canon,  Skinflint, 

Quack  Hill,  Pepper-Box  Flat, 

Nigger  Hill,  Seventy-Six, 

Piety  Hill,  Hog's  Diggings, 

Brandy  Gulch,  Liberty  Hill, 

Love-Letter  Camp,  Paradise, 

Blue  Belly  Ravine,  Sluice  Fork, 

Shinbone  Peak,  Seven  Up  Ravine, 

Loafer's  Retreat,  Humpback  Slide, 

Swellhead  Diggings,        Coyote  Hill, 
Poodletown,  American  Hollow, 

Gold  Hill,  Pancake  Ravine, 

Centipede  Hollow,  Nutcake  Camp, 

Seven-by-Mne  Valley,     Paint  Pot  Hill. 
Gospel  Swamp, 

Tit  for  Tat. — When  Hepworth  Dixon  was 
leaving  California,  he  asked  one  of  our  news- 
paper men  to  write  to  him  occasionally. 

"  Certainly,"  replied  our  knight  of  the  paste- 
pot  and  shears,  whom  we  will  call  plain  Smith, 
"  how  shall  I  address  you  ?  " 

"  Simply  Hepworth  Dixon,  England,"  replied 
the  modest  author  of  "  The  White  Conquest." 

"  All  right,  Mr.  Dixon,"  responded  Mr.  Smith, 
choking  down  his  risibilities  by  a  severe  effort, 
"  I  trust  to  have  the  pleasure  of  hearing  from 
you  in  reply." 

"  Certainly,  Mr.  Smith,"  replied  Dixon,  "  how 
shall  I  address  you  ?  " 

"  Simply  John  Smith,  America,"  triumphantly 
replied  Mr.  Smith. 

Reno — is  293  miles  from  San  Francisco,  sit- 
uated in  the  Truckee  Meadows,  the  junction  of 
the  Virginia  &  Truckee  Railroad,  the  first  point 
reached  from  which  there  are  two  daily  passenger 
trains  to  San  Francisco,  and  the  best  point  of  de- 
parture for  tourists  going  west  to  visit  Lake 
Tahoe.  The  Meadows,  about  15  miles  long  and 
eight  wide,  are  mostly  covered  with  sage  brush. 


206 


WINTER  FOREST  SCENE  IN  THE  SIERRA  NEVADAS. 
BY  THOMAS  MOKAN. 


207 


The  numerous  boulders  which  also  strew  the  mead- 
ows, are  built  into  fences,  and  alfalfa  seed  sown 
after  digging  out  the  sage  brush,  and  rich  pas- 
turage results  on  which  sheep  thrive.  Eight  or 
ten  tons  to  the  acre  are  cut  in  a  single  season, 
and  farms  make  handsome  returns.  The  boul- 
ders are  most  numerous  along  the  river. 

Reno  has  an  altitude  of  4,507  feet,  and,  al- 
though a  railroad  town  only  a  few  years  old,  is 
destined  to  be  the  prominent  city  of  the  State. 
It  was  named  in  honor  of  the  fallen  hero  of 
South  Mountain — has  now  2,000  people,  and  is 
a  county-seat  with  a  $ 30,000  court-house,  arid  is 
the  gate  to  the  West  for  all  the  State,  and  distrib- 
uting point  for  a  large  portion  of  it.  It  has  out- 
run Truckee  in  competing  for  the  trade  of  Cali- 
fornia, east  of  the  Sierras  and  among  the 
beautiful  and  fertile  valleys  north  of  the  railroad, 
for,  from  November  to  May,  Truckee  is  shut  in 
by  deep  snows,  and  its  roads  have  steeper  grades. 

Sierra  Valley,  the  Honey  Lake  Region,  Long 
Valley,  Camp  Bidwell  and  Goose  Lake  Region, 
Surprise  Valley,  Indian  Valley,  Winnemucca 
Valley,  the  Pitt  River  Country,  Fort  Warner 
and  South-eastern  Oregon,  all  derive  their  sup- 
plies, wholly  or  in  part,  on  wagons  from  this 
point.  It  is  the  healthiest  place  in  the  State 
and  has  the  most  stable  population,  being  sur- 
rounded with  an  agricultural  region. 

It  has  five  churches,  Congregational,  Metho- 
dist, Episcopal,  Baptist  and  Catholic,  and  ground 
will  soon  be  broken  here  for  the  erection  of  a 
Young  Ladies'  Seminary,  under  the  care  of 
Bishop  Whitaker  of  the  Protestant  Episcopal 
Church,  for  which  $10,000  were  contributed  by 
Miss  AVolfe  of  New  York  City,  $5,000  contribu- 
ted elsewhere,  and  Reno  has  supplied  the  re- 
maining $5,000  needed. 

Nevada,  by  a  State  law,  sets  apart  one-fourth  of 
one  per  cent,  of  her  tax  for  a  building  fund,  out 
of  which  the  Capitol  was  erected,  at  Carson 
City.  About  $100,000,  since  accumulated,  has 
been  spent  on  a  State  prison,  the  completion  of 
which  is  yet  in  the  future. 

Here  are  the  grounds  of  the  State  Agricultural 
Society  and  the  finest  speed-track  in  the  State, 
two  banks,  one  newspaper — the  Nevada  State 
Journal — and  several  factories,  a  steam  fire  de- 
partment and  a  public  library. 

The  benevolent  orders  are  well  represented, 
the  Masons  and  Odd  Fellows  meeting  in  halls 
of  their  own.  There  are  two  hotels,  the  Rail- 
road House,  which  is  well  kept,  and  the  Lake 
House,  on  the  bank  of  the  Truckee  River,  a 
most  desirable  place  for  a  few  days'  stay.  A 
daily  stage  leaves  for  Susanville,  in  the  Califor- 
nia portion  of  the  Sierra  Nevadas. 

The  Pea  Vine  District  is  nine  miles  north- 
west, and  about  1,500  feet  above  Reno,  in  which 
are  valuable  mines  of  dark  sulphuret  ore — the 
basest  worked  on  the  coast,  and  worked  success- 
fully only  of  late  by  the  O'Hara  process. 


Virginia  <£;  Truckee  Railroad. 

Leaving  Reno,  the  Red  Mountain  District  is 
seen  on  the  east,  and  the  Washoe  Range  with 
Mount  Rose,  8,200  feet  high,  on  the  west,  and 
soon  the  cars  pass  a  flume,  15  miles  long,  owned 
by  Flood  &  O'Brien,  running  through  a  long 
canon  to  Evans  Creek  to  convey  lumber  to 
the  railroad.  Huffaker's  is  six  and  one-half 
miles  from  Reno,  the  terminus  of  the  Pacific 
Wood,  Lumber  and  Flume  Company's  flume. 
The  next  stopping  point  is  called 

Brown's, — and  is  the  terminus  of  the  Eldo- 
rado Flume,  owned  by  the  Virginia  &  Truckee 
Railroad  Company.  This  flume  starts  in  White's 
Canon,  and  is  about  six  miles  long.  The  first 
important  station  is 

Steamboat  Springs,  — 11  miles  south  of 
Reno.  They  consist  of  many  springs  in  two  dis- 
tinct groups,  those  of  each  group  apparently  con- 
nected with  each  other.  Their  escaping  steam 
may  be  seen  near  the  station  on  the  rise  to  the 
right  of  the  road,  and  the  fissures,  through  which 
the  water  of  212°  Fahrenheit  gurgles  up,  vary 
from  a  narrow  crack  to  a  foot  in  width.  For- 
merly they  were  more  active  than  now,  yet  at 
times  they  spout  the  water  to  a  height  of  ten  feet. 
Sulphur  abounds  in  the  water,  and  remarkable 
cures  of  rheumatism  and  cutaneous  diseases  have 
been  effected,  but  no  reliable  analysis  of  the 
water  has  been  made. 

The  hotel  is  a  popular  resort,  kept  in  first- 
class  style  with  accommodations  for  fifty  guests. 

Steamboat  Springs  are  fast  becoming  famous 
for  mines  of  cinnabar  and  sulphur,  of  both  of 
which  this  region  seems  to  be  full.  Much  of  the 
sulphur  is  pure  and  beautifully  crystallized.  Cin- 
nabar is  found  between  strata  of  lava. 

The  railroad  crosses  Steamboat  Creek,  the  out- 
let for  Washoe  Lake,  and  then  enters  Steamboat 
Valley,  which  contains  about  6,000  acres  of  good 
soil  with  some  natural  meadow  at  the  upper 
end. 

South  of  Steamboat  Valley  is  Washoe  Valley, 
which  is  entered  by  passing  through  a  narrow 
gorge  with  large  conglomerate  rocks,  weather- 
beaten  into  castellated  form.  Emerging  from 
the  canon,  one  is  in 

Washoe  City, — 5  3-4  miles  from  Steamboat ; 
it  has  a  few  dilapidated  houses.  Mount  Rose, 
over  8,000  feet  high,  eternally  snow-capped,  is  di- 
rectly opposite  the  lower  end  of  the  valley. 

On  the  left  of  the  track  may  be  seen  the  ruins 
of  the  old  Ophir  Mill — whose  Superintendent 
was  honored  with  a  salary  of  $30,000  per  annum, 
and  a  furnished  house,  while  the  mill  employed 
165  men* 

On  the  left,  at  the  foot  of  the  mountains,  over- 
looking the  beautiful  lake  and  valley,  is  Bower's 
Mansion — the  favorite  resort  for  picnics  from 
Carson  and  Virginia  City. 

Franktown, — 4  1-4  miles  from  Washoe,  is 
an  old  Mormon  colony,  the  terminus  of  another 


208 


flume,  and  was  the  first  place  settled  in  this  reg- 
ularly formed  and  picturesque  valley,  twelve  miles 
long  by  seven  wide.  The  long  promontories  from 
the  mountain  side  are  denuded  of  timber,  but 
numerous  ice-cold  crystal  streams  come  down 
from  the  mountain  side,  and  the  valley  produces 
considerable  grain  and  fruit,  and  supports  no 
little  stock. 

Mitt  Station, — 3  miles  from  Franktown,  is 
an  old  mill  site  at  the  upper  end  of  the  valley, 
from  which  Washoe  Lake,  ten  miles  long  and  six 
wide,  may  be  clearly  seen.  Here  is  the  end  of 
still  another  flume  for  lumber  and  wood ;  next  is 
Eagle  Valley,  reached  by  a  short  tunnel.  At  the 
summit,  or 

Lake  View, — 2  miles  from  Mill  Station, 
commanding  the  finest  view  of  Washoe  Lake, 
the  railroad  crosses  the  large  water  pipe  which 
supplies  Virginia  City  from  a  lake  on  the  west- 
ern summit  of  the  Sierras,  above  Lake  Tahoe. 
Washoe  and  Eagle  Valleys  almost  join,  and  on 
entering  the  latter,  Carson  City  and  the  State 
Capitol  are  seen  below. 

Carson  City  —  is  21  miles  from  Virginia 
City.  It  was  settled  in  1858,  by  Major  Ormsby 
and  others,  has  a  population  of  4,000,  is  regu- 
larly laid  out,  the  streets  coinciding  with  the 
cardinal  points  of  the  compass.  Shade  trees, 
the  U.  S.  Mint,  the  Capitol,  Court-house,  and 
some  neat  private  residences,  four  churches 
(Presbyterian,  Methodist,  Episcopalian  and  Cath- 
olic), the  best  school-house  in  the  State,  and  good 
society,  make  it  one  of  the  most  desirable  places 
for  residence  in  Nevada.  It  has  two  daily  papers, 
the  Appeal  and  Tribune.  It  is  the  center  of  a 
large  trade  for  all  parts  of  South-western  Nevada 
and  Mono  and  Inyo  Counties  of  California. 

It  has  three  good  hotels,  the  general  offices  and 
workshops  of  the  Virginia  &  Truckee  Railroad, 
and  daily  stages  south  to  Genoa,  16  miles, 
Wellington  55  miles,  and  Aurora  104  miles, 
connecting  Belleville,  Columbus,  Benton  and 
Independence,  and  another  line  to  Marklee- 
ville  and  Silver  Mountain,  and  the  line  to 
Glenbrook  on  Lake  Tahoe,  leaving  at  10  A. 
M.,  time  two  and  cue-half  hours,  15  miles,  fare 


The  railroad  from  Carson  City  to  Virginia 
City,  is  often  spoken  of  as  the  Crooked  Railroad, 
so  full  is  it  of  curves  and  windings.  There  are 
many  curves  on  it  of  14°,  and  one  of  19°,  and  on 
one  portion  of  it  for  16  miles,  there  is  a  contin- 
uous grade  of  90  feet  to  the  mile.  This  is  believed 
to  be  the  road  of  which  it  is  said  that  an  en- 
gineer, badly  frightened  at  the  approach  of  a 
red  light,  jumped  from  his  engine,  and  soon  saw 
that  he  had  been  scared  by  the  rear  end  of  his 
own  train.  It  is  fifty-one  and  three-quarter  miles 
long,  and  has  35  miles  of  side  track.  Forty  to 
fifty  trains  daily  pass  over  it,  and  it  is  probably 
the  best  paying  railroad  in  the  country. 

The  railroad  between  Carson  City  and  Vir- 


ginia City  is  full  of  interest,  passing  along  a  con- 
tinuous line  of  reducing  works  on  the  Carson 
River,  and  mines  on  the  slope  of  Mount  David- 
son. 

Proceeding  through  Eagle  Valley  to  Virginia, 
there  may  be  seen — off  to  the  right,  the  State 
Prison,  two  and  one-half  miles  from  Carson,  an 
edifice  whose  architectural  appearance  is  befit- 
ting its  purpose.  Adjoining,  as  if  it  was  the 
same  building,  are  the  Carson  Warm  Springs 
and  its  hotel,  one  of  the  choicest  spots  for 
an  attractive  resort.  The  great  volume  of  water 
boiling  from  the  rocks,  supplies  a  succession  of 
large  plunge  baths  for  a  distance  of  160  feet. 
The  first  station  from  Carson  is 

Lookout, — 2  1-4  miles  from  Carson,  and 
next 

Empire, — 1  1-4  miles  farther,  the  location 
of  a  quartz  mill  of  the  same  name.  Half  a  mile 
farther  on  is 

Morgan, — named  from  the  Morgan  Mill,  the 
only  steam  quartz  mill  along  this  end  of  the 
road,  and  another  mile  brings  the  train  to 

Brunswick,  —  another  quartz  mill.  Cord- 
wood  will  be  seen  filling  the  river  here,  floated 
down  from  the  mountains,  by  different  compa- 
nies, to  be  caught  and  distributed. 

Merrimac, — still  another  quartz  mill,  is  only 
half  a  mile  from  Brunswick,  and  Eureka,  i.e., 
Eureka  Dump,  is  two  and  three-fourths  miles 
farther.  The  mill  is  situated  below,  and  the  road 
turns  almost  directly  away  from  the  river,  and 
rapidly  ascends  the  side  of  the  Mount  Davidson 
Range,  climbing  to  the  lofty  peak  to  which  Vir- 
ginia City  clings.  The  peak  and  city  are  not 
far  away,  but  the  road  makes  many  windings 
and  curves,  and  it  is  long  before  the  terminus  is 
reached. 

Mound  Souse  —  is  1  34  miles  from  the 
Eureka  Dump.  Along  here  the  road  is  without 
curves  for  a  long  distance  for  such  a  crooked 
railroad  as  this  is.  It  is  the  depot  of  supply  for 
Dayton  and  Sutro,  and  soon  it  is  expected  there 
will  be  a  new  road  opened  to  Columbus,  via 
Walker's  Lake,  on  which  a  steamer  will  be 
placed,  thus  saving  four  days'  time  for  freight- 
wagons  to  Columbus,  and  making  what  will  be 
the  favorite  route  for  passengers  by  a  line  of 
stages  leaving  the  Mound  House  every  morning, 
on  arrival  of  the  4  p.  M.  train  from  San  Fran- 
cisco. At 

Silver,  —  three  miles  from  Mound  House, 
there  is  a  dump  for  ore  which  is  caught  in  cars 
and  carried  on  a  narrow  gauge  horse  railroad  for 
two  and  one-half  miles  to  mills  at  Silver  City. 

Scales, — a  station  for  weighing  ore.  Silver 
City  is  to  be  seen  down  in  the  ravine,  and  the 
road  makes  a  horseshoe  curve  around  American 
Flat,  on  the  farther  side  of  which  is  seen  the 
city  of  Gold  Hill. 

Gold  Hill. — As  the  traveler  approaches,  he 
sees  evidence  of  mining  in  every  direction — 


209 


abandoned  shafts,  puffing  engines,  smoke  issu- 
ing from  gigantic  stacks,  huge  mounds  of  earth 
dumped  from  the  end  of  high  trestle-work,  the 
capacious  buildings  and  the  posts  and  stones  that 
mark  the  undeveloped  claims,  or  the  loaded  ore, 
need  no  explanation  as  to  their  origin  or  pur- 
pose. 

Gold  Hill  follows  the  ravine  of  the  same  name, 
and  the  street  is  both  steep  and  crooked.  It  has 
a  population  of  6,000  and  is,  in  all  respects,  like 
Virginia  City.  The  two  are  built  up  so  as  to  be 
without  marked  separation.  Gold  Hill  has  a 
vigorous  daily  paper,  the  "  Gold  Hill  News,"  a 
Catholic,  a  Methodist,  and  an  Episcopal  Church. 


a  great  credit  to  the  city  and  the  land  of  sil- 
ver. Its  narrow  streets  show  with  what  diffi- 
culty sites  are  obtained  for  buildings,  whether 
anchored  to  the  rocks  or  perched  in  mid-air,  and, 
while  in  the  city  but  little  of  it  is  visible  at  a 
time,  the  dwellings  are  mostly  low,  and,  there- 
fore, unstable  roofs  do  less  damage  when  the 
Washoe  zephyrs  blow.  It  appears  small,  but  is 
the  most  densely  packed  of  all  American  cities. 
One-third  its  people  are  underground,  where 
lighted  candles  glimmer  faintly  in  subterranean 
passages,  by  day  and  by  night.  Bedrooms  do 
double  duty  for  hundreds  or  thousands,  whose 
work  never  ceases.  Miners  are  shifted  every  eight 


STREET  SCENE  IN  VIRGINIA  CITY,  NEVADA. 


Virginia  City  and  Gold  Hill  are  connected  by  a 
line  of  omnibusses,  making  four  trips  every  hour 
during  the  day,  while  the  frequent  trains  of  the 
railroad  carry  also  many  passengers.  By  rail 
the  distance  to  Virginia  City  is  two  miles,  in 
which  several  tunnels  are  passed  through. 

Virginia  City — is  one  of  the  most  interesting 
towns  on  the  coast.  One  expects  streets  of  gold 
and  silver,  and  finds  dust  or  mud.  On  October 
26, 1875,  it  was  almost  wholly  destroyed  by  fire, 
but  the  burnt  district  has  been  rebuilt  more 
handsomely  than  ever.  Its  population  now 
exceeds  20,000.  A  first-class  hotel,  The  In- 
ternational, has  been  erected,  in  all  respects 

14 


hours,  and  the  men  of  two  shifts  may  occupy  the 
same  couch. 

On  many  levels,  down  2,000  feet,  are  thousands 
of  busy,  bustling,  narrow  streets,  over  which  is 
the  city  proper.  Tide-water  is  6,205  feet  below 
the  banks,  and  perhaps  it  is  best  that  it  is  no 
'nearer,  for  now  pumps  are  constructed  to  raise 
the  water  to  the  surface  from  3,000  to  5,000  feet 
below,  only  seven  of  which  are  capable  of  raising 
4,000  gallons  every  minute. 

Dwellings  on  the  side-hill  overlook  one  another 
without  any  appearance  of  aristocratic  preten- 
sions, and  steps  and  foot-ladders  are  continually 
at  hand. 


210 


The  streets  present  a  busy  appearance  with 
men  of  all  classes,  and  occasionally  women,  watch- 
ing the  indicator  of  the  San  Francisco  stock- 
market  as  anxiously  as  a  gambler  reduced  to  the 
"  bed  rock  "  watches  for  the  playing  of  the  hand 
against  him. 

Saloons  are  numerous  and  crowded,  and  pro- 
fanity fearfully  prevalent. 

It  is  a  city  of  extremes  in  prices,  speculations, 
character,  activity,  enterprise,  debauchery  and 
home  life.  The  rich  and  the  penniless  are  side 
by  side.  Every  notion  and  ism  is  advocated — 
every  nation  represented  by  the  worst  and  best 
of  the  race — except  the  horrible  Celestial,  who  is 
always  called  bad,  but  is  even  somewhat  like 
"  the  Englishman  of  character  and  the  English- 
man of  no  character  to  speak  of."  The  lazy 
Indians  that  lounge  about  the  street,  rich  with  a 
loaf  of  bread,  a  blanket,  a  string  of  beads  and 
some  feathers,  are  no  poorer  than  hundreds  who 
will  have  nothing  until  they  sober  up,  and  at  the 
other  end  are  the  owners  ot  wealth  incomprehen- 
sible by  any  system  of  counting — all  glittering 
and  golden-hued  in  a  vast  firmament  of  riches, 
as  great  as  the  reality  of  idlest  dreams.  Here 
the  world  has  seen,  not  one,  but  at  least  four, 
richer  than  Croesus ;  with  lamps,  rings  and  slaves 
better  than  Aladdin's ;  four  Bonanza  kings,  each 
with  a  mountain  of  treasure  greater  to  carry  than 
the  horrible  Old  Man  of  the  Sea,  but  which  no 
modern  Sinbad  would  shake  off  with  delight. 

One  says,  "  The  gods  here  worshiped  are 
heathen  deities,  Mammon,  Bacchus  and  Venus. 
The  temples  are  brokers'  offices,  whisky  shops, 
gambling  hells  and  brothels.  There  is  wonder- 
ful enterprise,  much  intelligence,  some  refine- 
ment, not  a  little  courtesy,  and  a  sea  of  sin." 

The  view  from  the  city  is  picturesque  and 
sorrowfully  beautiful.  Off  to  the  south  and  east 
the  eye  ranges  over  a  waste  of  sage  brush,  and 
the  face  of  the  whole  country  appears  like  the 
waves  of  an  angered  sea,  broken  the  more  be- 
cause they  can  go  no  farther. 

The  Carson  River  can  be  seen  stretching  off 
toward  its  sinking  place  in  arid  sands,  and  the 
twenty-six  mile  desert  will  deceive  the  unthink- 
ing, and  add  a  faint  lake-like  look  to  the  picture, 
of  which  the  Walker  and  Sweetwater  Ranges  and 
endless  mountains'  rosy  light  and  heaven's  blue 
dome,  all  add  their  beauty. 

But  to  enjoy  the  best  view,  make  the  ascent  of 
Mount  Davidson,  about  2,000  feet  above  the  city, 
and  nearly  8,000  feet  high.  One  need  not  climb, 
but  may  ascend  it  on  horseback  by  following  up 
the  ravine  from  Gold  Canon.  When  he  reaches 
what  seems  from  the  street  to  be  the  top  of  the 
mountain,  he  sees  another  summit  as  far  beyond, 
but  the  latter  gained  the  view  is  magnificent. 

Below,  on  the  west,  is  a  beautiful  lake  two  or 
three  miles  in  diameter,  "glistening  like  the 
silver  of  the  mountains  which  it  covers."  Reno, 
the  Carson  Valley,  valleys,  mountains,  rivers, 


lakes,  and  deserts  may  be  seen  in  every  direction 
for  a  hundred  miles. 

Or,  if  it  is  too  fatiguing  to  ascend,  whoever  is 
the  fortunate  possessor  of  a  note  of  introduction 
to  some  mining  superintendent,  may  prepare  for 
a  visit  to  the  world  below.  Donning  brogans, 
woolen  socks  and  coarse  flannels,  he  will  step  on 
the  cage,  holding  his  breath,  his  heart  feeling 
gone,  and  as  the  water  drips  around  him  down 
the  shaft,  his  feeble  lantern  will  not  remove  the 
queer  sensation  of  the  descent.  Once  below, 
there  are  cuts,  and  cross-cuts,  drifts,  winzes, 
stopes  and  a  maze  of  strange  words,  sights  and 
sounds.  Here  is  explained  the  use  of  the 
squared  timbers  seen  by  the  car  load,  passing 
from  the  Sierras  to  Virginia  City.  As  worthless 
rock  or  treasured  ore  is  removed,  the  excavation 
must  be  replaced  almost  as  solid  as  the  rock  it- 
self. The  huge  timbers  are  mortised  and  fitted 
to  each  other  with  the  utmost  precision ;  ladders 
lead  from  level  to  level.  Cars  convey  the  ore  to 
the  shaft,  and  up  and  down  the  busy  cages  are 
always  going.  Every  minute  a  loaded  car  as- 
cends from  a  quarter  of  a  mile  below  and  is  re- 
placed by  another.  The  engineer  tells  by  an 
indicator  the  precise  location  of  the  cage  at  any 
moment,  and  by  varying  the  signals  to  him,  he 
directs  the  movements  for  passengers  with  greatly 
decreased  speed. 

If  time  permits,  ride  over  to  the  Sutro  Tunnel, 
six  miles  from  Virginia  City.  It  once  promised 
well,  may  benefit  the  Comstock  Lode  more  than 
its  friends  have  ever  dreamed,  but  from  present 
appearances  the  real  contest  concerning  it,  was 
not  in  Congress,  nor  opposition  from  the  mines 
it  aims  to  tap,  but  has  yet  to  come.  As  a 
specimen  of  engineering  it  will  repay  a  visit. 
With  indomitable  energy  it  is  pushed  forward, 
and  has  now  penetrated  nearly  three  miles. 
The  average  progress  is  90  feet  per  week,  and 
tunneling  was  never  done  elsewhere,  more  speed- 
ily or  successfully. 

Mines  of  Virginia  City. — The  discovery 
of  the  Comstock  Lode,  was  made  in  1857,  by 
men  in  pursuit  of  gold  placers.  They  came 
upon  some  mineral  new  to  them,  which  a  Mex- 
ican recognized  as  silver  ore.  Comstock  at  an 
early  day,  was  a  middle-man  in  the  purchase  of  an 
interest  in  the  lode,  and  his  name  thus  became 
attached  to  it.  As  explorations  were  made,  very 
rich  ore  was  found  near  the  surface,  and  soon  a 
great  excitement  was  created,  and  vigorous  oper- 
ations commenced,  which  were  crowned  with 
wonderful  success.  The  Ophir  Mine,  and  the 
Gould  &  Curry,  at  an  early  day  began  to  pay 
dividends,  and  continued  to  do  so  without  inter- 
ruption for  several  years.  The  Savage  and  the 
Hale  &  Norcross  were  later  in  becoming 
known,  and  their  period  of  prosperity  continued 
after  the  others  had  gone  into  decline.  These 
are  all  Virginia  City  Mines.  The  Kentuck, 
Crown  Point,  Yellow  Jacket,  Chollar  Potosi, 


211 


and  Belcher,  which  have  all  paid  dividends  and 
others  less  widely  known,  are  in  Gold  Hill. 
Neither  of  them  became  successful  as  early  as 
the  Ophir  and  Gould  &  Curry.  The  original 
discoverers  of  these  mines  "  located  "  them,  as 
miners  say,  that  is,  posted  upon  the  property  a 
notice  of  claim  in  writing,  of  which  they  filed  a 
copy  with  the  recorder  of  the  mining  district. 
The  regulations  in  reference  to  locating  claims 
differed  slightly  in  different  districts.  Usually 
not  over  2,000  feet  along  the  length  of  a  vein 
could  be  located  in  one  claim,  and  no  one  could 
claim  over  200  feet  except  the  discoverer,  he  be- 
ing usually  allowed  300,  and  sometimes  400  feet. 
Under  the  present  United  States  Mining  Law 
no  single  claim  for 'over  1,500  feet  can  be  made, 
whatever  number  of  persons  join  in  it,  and  the 
discoverer  is  accorded  no  advantage  over  others. 
Feet  in  length  along  a  vein,  are  always  stated 
and  understood  to  carry  all  its  depth,  spurs  and 
angles,  that  is,  its  whole  breadth  and  depth  be 
they  more  or  less,  for  the  length  claimed.  Veins 
are  usually  only  a  few  feet  wide,  but  sometimes 
extend  miles  in  length.  The  Comstock  Lode 
has  been  traced  for  five  miles,  but  its  greatest 
breadth  so  far  as  yet  known,  is  between  300  and 
400  feet,  and  no  other  silver  vein  in  the  State  of 
Nevada  approaches  it  in  breadth,  and  some  are 
worked  which  do  not  exceed  6  inches.  In  early 
days  dealings  in  mines  were  by  feet,  and  not  by 
shares.  The  Ophir  Mine  comprised  1,400  feet 
for  instance,  and  was  sold  on  the  stock-board  by 
the  foot.  An  owner  of  100  feet  owned  a  four- 
teenth of  the  mine.  Gradually  the  selling  by 
feet  was  abandoned,  and  only  shares  were  dealt 
in,  and  those  have  been  divided  up  very  small,  in 
order  to  bring  speculation  within  the  compass  of 
persons  of  small  means.  The  Ophir  Mine  has 
been  divided  so  that  each  original  foot  is  repre- 
sented by  seventy-two  shares.  The  incorpora- 
tions  of  all  the  mining  companies  on  the  Com- 
stock Lode,  and  their  offices  have  always  been  in 
San  Francisco,  and  the  men  who  live  immedi- 
ately over  and  about  the  mine,  cannot  buy  or  sell 
stock  in  them  except  by  letter  or  telegraph  to 
"  The  Bay." 

In  the  development  of  this  mineral  lode,  three 
distinct  periods  may  be  marked.  For  some  time 
after  its  discovery,  prosperity  continually  at- 
tended operations  on  it  somewhere  along  its 
length,  and  often  at  all  points.  All  the  mines 
named  above  paid  dividends,  and  very  few  assess- 
ments were  made.  The  ore  lying  within  800  or 
900  feet  of  the  surface  was  finally  exhausted 
along  the  whole  vein,  and  dividends  fell  off, 
assessments  became  frequent,  and  great  depres- 
sion followed.  This  continued  until  patient 
exploration  revealed,  several  hundred  feet  deeper, 
a  rich  ore  body,  in  the  Crown  Point  and  Belcher 
Mines,  which  produced  an  amount  of  bullion 
hitherto  unexampled  in  the  history  of  the  vein, 
dividends  amounting  to  a  million  a  month  com- 


ing several  months  in  succession.  This  body  of 
ore  was  worked  out  'in  time,  and  depression  fol- 
lowed again,  until  the  discoveries  in  Consoli- 
dated Virginia,  also  at  great  depth,  brought  the 
vein  once  more  into  prominence.  These  surpass 
anything  yet  on  record,  in  silver  mining. 

The  Big  Bonanza  Mine. — For  more  than 
a  year  this  mine  has  divided  $1,080,000  monthly, 
and  there  is  no  sign  of  exhaustion.  The  follow- 
ing figures,  which  were  furnished  at  the  com- 
pany's office,  give  a  fair  view  of  the  operations 
of  this  mine :  During  1875,  and  the  three  first 
months  of  1876,  the  bullion  receipts  of  this  com- 
pany were  twenty-four  million  eiyht  hundred  and 
fifty  thousand,  Jive  hundred  and  twenty-four  dol- 
lars and  eighty-four  cents  ($24,850,524.84). 

In  March,  1876,  were  worked  24,991  800-2,000 
tons  of  ore,  which  produced  $3,634,218.92  in 
bullion,  the  average  product  per  ton  being 
$145.40. 

The  above  bullion  weighed  about  56  tons. 

The  bullion  from  this  mine  and  others  on  the 
Comstock  Lode  is  very  pure,  and  on  an  average 
is  about  .045  fine  in  gold,  and  .950  in  silver,  leav- 
ing only  about  .005  of  base  metal.  The  propor- 
tion of  gold  to  silver  varies,  and  with  it  the 
value  of  the  bullion  per  pound.  A  shipment, 
which  represented  a  fair  average,  was  of  50  bars 
of  1186,998  stamped  value,  and  weighing  5,741 
Ibs.  avoirdupois,  thus  representing  a  value  of 
$32.57  per  Ib.  Had  this  been  pure  silver,  it 
would  have  been  stamped  $18.81  per  Ib.,  and  the 
excess  above  that,  is  for  the  gold  in  the  bullion. 
It  may  surprise  one  to  be  told  that  silver  bullion, 
carrying  so  large  a  portion  of  gold,  shows  no 
trace  of  it.  A  bar  of  gold  and  silver,  in  equal 
proportions,  would  scarcely  differ  in  color  from  a 
pure  silver  bar.  Its  weight  would,  however,  re- 
veal the  presence  of  the  gold,  at  once.  When 
six  or  seven-tenths  are  gold,  its  color  begins  to 
show. 

The  valuable  product  obtained  from  the  ore 
was  over  seventy-two  per  cent,  of  its  assay^  value 
during  the  month  reported  above.  It  is  not 
usual  to  obtain  a  better  result  than  this  without 
roasting  the  ore  before  amalgamation.  It  will 
interest  one,  not  familiar  with  mining,  to  notice 
how  small  in  both  bulk  and  weight  the  bullion 
product  is  when  compared  with  the  amount  of 
ore  handled.  During  the  month  referred  to,  four 
hundred  and  forty-six  tons  of  ore,  which  would 
make  a  mass  10  feet  high,  20  feet  wide  and  30 
feet  long,  yielded  only  one  ton  of  bullion,  which 
could  be  melted  into  a  solid  cube  18  3-5  inches 
on  a  side,  or  1,560  cubic  feet  of  ore  were  worked 
to  obtain,one  cubic  foot  of  bullion. 

Reduction  of  the  Ores. — The  ores  at  this 
place  are  worked  without  roasting  by  the  pan 
process  of  American  origin,  first  adopted  on  the 
Comstock  Lode.  It  is  suited  admirably  to  ores 
which  work  kindly,  requiring  little  chemical 
action  or  heat  to  make  them  part  with  their 


213 


precious  contents,  to  be  taken  up  by  amalgama- 
tion with  quicksilver.  Though  it  rarely  yields 
as  close  a  result  as  the  Mexican  patio  process, 
or  the  furnace  and  barrel  process  of  Freiberg, 
it  is  so  much  more  expeditious  and  economical 
of  labor,  and  so  capable  of  being  applied  on  a 
large  scale,  that,  on  the  whole,  it  is  unquestion- 
ably preferable.  The  other  processes  referred  to 
have  been  thoroughly  tried  in  Virginia  City,  and 
found  utterly  unsuited  to  the  conditions  existing 
there. 

The  first  part  of  the  process,  is  wet  crushing  of 
the  ore,  by  stamps  in  iron  mortars,  a  constant 
stream  of  water  carrying  off  through  a  brass 
wire  screen  the  pulverized  portion  as  fast  as  re- 
duced small  enough.  The  screens  are  at  the 
back  of  the  mortar.  Five  stamps,  weighing 
about  650  pounds  each,  are  usually  placed  in  a 
single  mortar,  and  are  lifted  and  dropped  from 
five  to  eight  inches  about  ninety  times  a  minute. 
The  feeder,  standing  in  front,  judges  by  the 
sound  when  and  where  to  feed  in  the  ore  lying 
behind  him.  He  is  expected  to  feed  two  batter- 
ies of  five  stamps  each,  which  are  usually  placed 
in  one  frame,  and  run  by  a  single  shaft.  Some 
mills  have  twelve  such  batteries  or  sixty  stamps. 
The  amount  crushed  by  a  stamp  in  twenty-four 
hours — for  work  never  stops  day  or  night — varies 
with  the  fineness  of  the  screen,  the  character  of 
the  ore,  and  the  skill  of  the  feeder,  and  is  from 
one  to  two  and  a  half  tons  a  day.  Automatic 
machinery  for  feeding  batteries  is  now  introduced 
in  many  mills. 

The  stream  running  constantly  from  the  bat- 
tery is  received  in  a  series  of  tanks  and  settled 
as  much  as  possible,  the  deposit  from  it  being 
coarse  sand  at  first,  and  fine  sediments  at  last. 
The  fine  sediments  are  called  slums,  and  must 
be  thoroughly  mingled  with  the  coarse  sand  in 
the  after  process,  for  though  often  containing  the 
richest  portion  of  the  ore,  the  atoms  are  so  im- 
palpably  fine,  and  adhere  to  one  another  so 
closely,  as  to  elude  the  mechanical  agencies  em- 
ployed to  obtain  the  precious  metal  they  bear, 
and,  if  worked  by  themselves,  carry  away  nearly 
all  they  are  worth  with  them.  By  mingling 
them  with  the  sand  in  as  nearly  as  possible  the 
same  proportion  in  which  they  come  from  the 
stamps,  they  become  broken  up,  separated  and 
distributed  through  the  whole  mass  of  pulp,  and 
are  persuaded  to  give  up  the  most  of  the  silver 
they  hold.  This  silver  is  not  in  metallic  form, 
but  combined  with  sulphur,  chlorine  or  antimony 
for  the  most  pai't.  Chlorides  of  silver  easily  and 
sulphurets  more  reluctantly  part  from  the  base 
with  which  they  are  united,  and  amalgamate 
with  quicksilver. 

Antimonial  silver  not  only  refuses  to  do  this, 
but  obstructs  the  process  on  the  part  of  other 
silver  compounds  with  which  it  may  be  associ- 
ated, and  is,  therefore,  dreaded  by  all  silver  mill- 
men  who  do  not  roast  their  ores ;  but  the  com- 


pounds of  silver  at  Virginia  City,  are  chiefly 
chlorides,  and  antimonial  silver  ores,  though  they 
occur  there,  are  found  in  small  quantities  only. 

To  effect  this  amalgamation  of  the  silver  in 
the  ore  with  mercury,  the  crushed  pulp  is  now 
placed  in  quantities  of  one  to  two  tons,  some- 
times even  more,  in  an  iron  pan,  five  or  six  feet 
in  diameter  and  thi'ee  to  four  feet  deep,  and 
ground  and  stirred  by  a  revolving  muller,  till  all 
the  coarse  sand  is  reduced  fine.  The  muller  is 
then  raised  and  the  grinding  ceases,  but  the  agi- 
tation is  continued,  and  a  large  body  of  quick- 
silver is  introduced,  and  steam  is  also  let  either 
into  the  body  of  the  pulp,  or  a  false  bottom  under 
the  pan,  so  as  to  heat  the  whole  mass,  the  amal- 
gamator in  charge  standing  by  and  testing  it  with 
his  finger,  thinning  it  with  slums  of  water,  thick- 
ening it  with  coarse  sand,  shutting  off  the  steam 
or  letting  more  on,  as  his  judgment  dictates,  till 
the  temperature  and  consistency  suit.  This  pro- 
cess is  continued  from  three  to  twelve  hours,  ac- 
cording to  the  richness  and  the  kindly  or  refract- 
ory temper  of  the  ore.  Poor  ores  must  be  rushed 
through,  that  a  large  amount  may  be  worked. 
Kich  ores,  after  yielding  handsomely,  may  still 
obstinately  retain  more  value  than  some  poor 
ones  ever  carried. 

The  pulp  is  kept  thick  enough  to  float  minute 
atoms  of  quicksilver,  and  is  made  to  roll  over  and 
over  by  wings  on  the  sides  of  the  pan  and  on  the 
muller,  until  all  the  amalgamation  that  can  be 
effected  is  accomplished,  when  the  motion  is 
diminished,  and  the  charge  in  the  pan  drawn  off 
into  a  large  settler  on  a  lower  level,  where  it  is 
diluted  with  a  large  volume  of  cold  water,  and 
slowly  stirred,  and  the  quicksilver  atoms  uniting, 
gather  in  a  body  at  the  bottom  and  are  drawn 
off  through  a  syphon.  Meantime,  a  stream  of 
water  running  through  the  settler,  carries  off 
the  earthy  contents,  and  finally,  when  quicksilver 
ceases  to  gather,  the  settler  is  drawn  off  nearly 
to  the  bottom  and  made  ready  for  the  contents  of 
another  pan.  It  is  usual  to  have  one  settler  for 
two  pans,  and  give  half  the  time  to  settling  that 
is  occupied  in  grinding  and  amalgamating. 

The  silver  and  gold,  so  far  as  they  have  been 
taken  up,  are  now  held  by  the  quicksilver.  This 
is  strained  through  long,  deep,  conical,  canvas 
bags,  and  the  tough  amalgam  obtained  is  placed 
in  close  iron  retorts,  the  quicksilver  distilled  out 
by  fire ;  crude  bullion  results,  which  is  melted  in 
a  crucible  and  poured  into  moulds,  and  when 
weighed,  assayed  and  stamped  with  its  value,  is 
ready  for  market. 

The  discharged  ore  from  the  settler  is  called 
tailings,  and  is  often  caught  in  large  reservoirs, 
and  after  lying  months  or  years,  as  the  case 
may  be,  is  worked  through  the  pans  and  settlers 
again,  and  this  process  is  sometimes  repeated 
several  times,  especially  if  ore  becomes  scarce. 
The  practice  of  different  mining  companies  as  to 
the  disposition  of  their  tailings,  varies  exceed- 


214 


ingly.  So  long  as  ore  is  plenty,  no  pains  are 
taken  to  save  them.  They  never  have  been 
worked  so  closely  as  not  still  to  carry  several 
dollars  to  the  ton  value  in  precious  metal. 

The  process  employed  at  Virginia  City,  is  in 
use  wherever  silver  is  mined  on  the  Pacific  Coast, 
with  such  modifications  as  differences  in  the  char- 
acter of  the  ore  demand.  Some  ores  are  so  re- 
fractory as  to  require  roasting.  They  are  first 
dried  thoroughly,  then  crushed  dry,  next  roasted 
to  expel  sulphur,  antimony,  zinc,  etc.,  and  then 
treated  in  pans  and  settlers  as  if  crushed  wet  with- 
out roasting.  The  process  is  expensive,  but  has 
some  compensation  in  the  closer  percentage  of 
assay  value  obtained,  and  smaller  waste  of  quick- 
silver. The  loss  of  this  metal  in  amalgamating 
unroasted  ores,  amounts  in  various  ways  to  from 
two  to  four  pounds  for  each  ton  worked.  Some 
of  it  combines  with  chlorine  in  the  ore,  and  is 
converted  into  calomel.  This  is  lost  beyond  re- 
covery. Some  of  it  is  volatilized  by  the  heat  in 
the  pans,  and  some  escapes  through  the  joints  of 
the  retorts,  and  this  also  is  lost  finally,  and 
sometimes  hurts  workmen  exposed  to  the  fumes. 
Most  of  it  is  lost  by  not  being  gathered  in  the 
settler.  It  goes  off  in  minute  atoms,  carrying 
gold  and  silver  with  it.  This  is  partly  recovered 
by  working  the  tailings,  or  by  running  them  over 
blankets  in  sluices  which  entrap  enough  of  it  to 
pay  well  for  the  cost  of  the  process. 

Sinks  of  the  Great  Nevada  Basin.  — 
One  of  the  most  wonderful  natural  features  of 
that  part  of  the  Continent  lying  between  the 
Wahsatch  and  Sierra  Nevada  Ranges  of  Mount- 
ains, is  the  Great  Desert  and  its  numerous  sinks. 
The  sink  of  the  Great  Salt  Lake  has  already 
been  alluded  to.  It  is  a  great  natural  curiosity 
of  itself.  It  receives  the  waters  of  an  immense 
region  of  country,  and,  though  gradually  rising, 
is  still  confined  to  its  banks,  and  gives  off  its  sur- 
plus waters  by  evaporation.  There  is  no  evi- 
dence whatever  that  it  has  a  subterraneous  out- 
let. Between  it  and  th^  sinks  of  the  Nevada 
Desert,  there  is  an  elevated  ridge  and  broken 
ranges  of  mountains,  with  gaps  and  valleys  be- 
tween them.  This  whole  desert  has  evidently 
been  a  lake,  or  an  inland  sea,  at  some  time, 
while  the  mountains  have  been  islands  in  it. 
Passing  the  ridge,  or  low  divide  between  the 
broken  mountains,  which  separates  the  Great 
Salt  Lake  from  the  desert  beyond,  and  we  ar- 
rive at  the  sinks  of  the  Nevada  Basin.  The 
first  is  the  Humboldt  Lake,  which  has  been  de- 
scribed. Then  the  Humboldt  and  Carson  Sink, 
which,  unlike  the  Great  Salt  Lake,  receives  the 
waters  of  both  the  Humboldt  River  and  Lake 
and  the  Carson  River  and  Lake,  flowing  from 
opposite  directions ;  and,  in  the  hot  months  of 
summer,  when  evaporation  is  greatest,  is  very 
nearly  dry.  On  the  other  hand,  in  the  spring, 
when  the  snows  of  the  mountains  melt,  or  when 
heavy  rains  occur  in  the  winter  and  spring 


months,  causing  a  large  flow  of  water  in  the 
Humboldt  and  Carson  Rivers,  these  lakes  of  the 
same  name  nearly  always  rise  together,  and  the 
vast  salty  plain,  in  and  around  the  sink,  becomes 
a  lake  of  great  size.  There  is  no  evidence  of 
any  subterranean  outlet  to  the  waters  that  flow 
info  this  large  sink.  On  the  contrary,  those  who 
have  noticed  the  rapidity  with  which  water  dis- 
appears from  a  tub  or  other  vessel  exposed  to  the 
sun  and  air  in  this  region,  have  no  difficulty  in  be- 
lieving, in  fact  almost  seeing,  the  process  of  evap- 
oration going  on,  by  which  the  waters  are  drunk 
up  and  scattered  over  the  earth  in  clouds,  to  be 
again  distilled  in  rain. 

Walker  Lake,  which  receives  the  flow  of 
Walker  River,  is  another  one  of  these  mysteri- 
ous sinks.  It  is  off  to  the  south  of  Carson 
Lake.  The  river  rises  in  the  Sierra  Nevadas 
and  flows  in  a  general  easterly  direction,  till  its 
waters  are  swallowed  up  by  the  sands  of  the 
desert,  or  lost  through  the  same  process  men- 
tioned elsewhere.  There  are  also  numerous 
streams  rising  in  the  mountains,  assuming  large 
proportions  by  the  time  they  reach  the  valleys, 
but  the  sands  of  the  desert  soon  drink  them  dry, 
and  they  are  "  lost  to  sight." 

North  of  the  Central  Pacific,  about  20  miles 
from  Wadsworth,  are  the  sinks  of  Pyramid 
Lake,  Winnemucca  Lake  and  Mud  Lake,  the 
latter  being  a  considerable  distance  north  of 
Pyramid  Lake.  These  bodies  of  water  at  times 
quite  large,  are  called  fresh  water  lakes,  though 
they  are  brackish  and  abound  in  fish.  North- 
east of  Winnemucca  Lake  is  Quin's  River,  quite 
a  large  stream  near  its  source  in  the  mountains 
of  Idaho ;  but  it  becomes  lost  in  the  desert,  on  its 
way,  apparently,  to  Winnemucca  Lake.  These 
lakes  and  the  desert  are  the  mighty  sinks  which 
drink  up  the  water  that  is  not  evaporated,  but 
sometimes  evaporation  gets  the  best  of  them. 
North-west  of  Mud  Lake,  over  in  California,  is 
Honey  Lake,  another  remarkable  body  of  water. 
It  is  sometimes  dry  so  that  teams  can  be  driven 
across  its  bed,  arid  then  again  it  is  on  the  ram- 
page. Its  waters  resemble  soap-suds,  and  are 
admirably  adapted  for  washing  purposes.  When 
lashed  by  the  winds,  its  waters  become  a  rolling 
mass  of  foam,  and  afford  a  magnificent  specta- 
cle to  the  beholder.  If  it  only  had  permanent 
water  of  the  character  alluded  to,  it  would  be  an 
excellent  location  for  a  huge  laundry. 

Staye  Itoittes  to  Lake  Tahoe, — A  favorite 
route  to  Lake  Tahoe  is  via  Carson  City.  It  may 
be  more  easily  reached  and  seen  on  the  west- 
ward tour,  than  to  wait  and  include  it  on  the 
eastward  return. 

After  a  visit  to  Virginia  City,  the  tourist  will 
return  to  Carson  City,  remain  over  night  at  a 
good  comfortable  hotel,  the  Ormsby  House, — 
whose  proprietor  considers  it  "  lite  highest  toned 
hotel  in  Nevada"  and  next  morning,  at  8.30  A. 
M.,  take  Benton's  Stage  for  Tahoe. 


215 


216 


To  visit  and  make  the  circuit  of  the  lake,  and 
return  to  Carson  will  require  at  least  18  hours, 
but  most  tourists  will  find  it  desirable  to  stop  at 
the  little  hotel  on  the  opposite  side  of  the  lake, 
and  return  via  Truckee,  thus  seeing  greater 
variety  of  scenery. 

Tourists  by  this  route  to  Virginia  City,  Carson 
and  Tahoe,  will  be  obliged  to  leave  the  Overland 
Western  train  at  Reno,  about  11.40  p.  M.,  and  a 
comfortable  night's  rest  can  be  enjoyed  at  the 
Railroad  Hotel.  In  the  morning  a  train  leaves 
at  7.35  A.  M.,  and  arrives  at  Carson  at  9.00 ;  after 
taking  one  hour  for  breakfast,  the  tourist  can 
either  proceed  to  Virginia  City  and  spend  the 
day,  or  take  immediate  departure  for  Lake  Tahoe. 
Private  team  or  special  stage  can  be  engaged  at 
Benton's  by  any  party,  for  a  ride  to  the  Lake  at 
any  special  time. 

On  this  route  there  is  the  best  known  of  all 
California  stage-drivers,  who  have  reined  kyuse 
or  mustang  horses, — the  modest  Hank  Monk. 
His  first  fame  was  not  on  the  platform  of 
Faneuil  Hall  in  oratory,  but  in  the  streets  of 
Boston,  with  eight  horses  abreast,  well  trained 
to  the  voice  and  whip.  He  has  driven  stage  in 
California  and  Nevada,  since  1852,  and  made 
the  distance  between  Carson  and  Virginia,  21 
miles,  in  one  hour  and  eight  minutes.  His  ap- 
pearance and  gait  do  not  indicate  much  energy, 
but  he  drove  Horace  Greeley  109  miles  in  10 
hours,  fast  enough  toward  the  end  of  the 
journey,  and  as  long  as  he  can  wake  up  his  pets 
with  a  strong  voice  or  far  reaching  whip,  he  will 
not  fail  to  get  his  passengers  through,  "  on 
time."  But  to  the  credit  of  others,  it  should  be 
said,  that  California  and  Nevada  have  hundreds 
of  drivers  not  less  skillful  and  reliable  than  the 
favorite  Monk. 

The  route  to  the  lake  lies  first  south,  through 
the  Carson  Valley,  toward  Job's  Peaks  and  Silver 
Mountain,  always  beautiful  with  snow.  In  the 
clear  atmosphere,  the  first  will  appear  only  a  few 
miles  away,  but  it  is  still  more  than  twenty 
miles  distant.  The  stage  road  turns  west,  up  Clear 
Creek  Canon,  through  which  comes  the  Twenty- 
one  Mile  (V  shaped)  Flume  of  the  Carson  &  Ta- 
hoe Lumber  Company,  through  which  700  cords 
of  wood,  or  half  a  million  feet  of  mining  timber 
can  be  daily  delivered  at  Carson  City  from  the 
summits  of  the  Sierras.  Along  the  canon  are 
many  towering,  sun-burnt  rocks,  weather-beaten 
and  worn  into  weird  and  fantastic  shapes,  and 
these  and  the  swift-descending  timber,  splashing 
the  water  up  many  feet  at  every  turn,  to  sparkle 
in  the  sunlight,  the  Carson  Valley  spread  out 
below,  with  the  Pine  Nut,  Walker  and  Sweet- 
water  Mountains  on  one  side,  and  the  Sierras 
opposite,  always  attract  and  delight  the  lover  of 
bold  mountain  scenery. 

At  the  summit,  the  flume  connects  with 
the  Lake  Tahoe  N.  G.  Railroad,  9  miles 
long  from  summit  to  Glenbrook  on  shore  of 


the  lake.  The  distance  is  but  three  miles  by 
wagon  road,  6  miles  less  than  by  the  R.  R.  The 
railroad  is  worked  only  in  the  summer  months — 
after  much  of  it  has  been  sought  out  and  found 
with  shovels,  and  is  exposed  to  damage  and  de- 
struction from  avalanches  of  snow  or  rock  which 
come  thundering  down  the  steep  sides  with  re- 
sistless force.  Near  the  summit  it  has  the  enor- 
mous grade  of  180  feet  to  the  mile.  This  pas- 
sage over  the  eastern  summit  of  the  Sierras  is 
made  where  the  range  is  depressed  and  the  view, 
though  beautiful,  is  far  too  contracted  to  fully 
gratify  the  traveler.  Below,  lies  Lake  Tahoe, 
girt  with  everlasting  pine-clad  hills  whose  snowy 
masses  and  evergreen  foliage  mingle  with  the 
deep  blue  of  an  inland  sea,  yet  only  a  small  por- 
tion of  its  beauty  can  be  seen. 

Lake  Tahoe, — This  great  body  of  fresh 
water,  25  miles  long,  on  an  average  ten  wide, 
about  three-fourths  in  California,  and  one-fourth 
in  Nevada,  has  an  elevation  of  a  mile  and  a 
quarter,  and  has  been  sounded  to  a  depth  of 
3,000  feet.  Through  glacial  action  in  past  ages, 
ice  must  have  been  piled  up  in  the  valley  of  this 
lake  3,400  feet  high.  It  never  freezes,  is  smooth 
as  glass  and  clear  as  crystal,  permitting  the 
trout  to  be  seen  or  pebbles  counted  at  a  depth  of 
80  feet.  Its  water  changes  color  to  a  beautiful 
emerald  or  almost  indigo  blue  according  to  the 
depth,  and  when  disturbed  by  the  fierce  mount- 
ain winds,  its  waves  lash  the  shore  with  foaming 
fury. 

At  Glenbrook,  five  steamers  will  be  found, 
three  of  which  are  employed  for  the  mills,  and 
the  others,  the  "  Niagara  "  and  "  Stanford  "  will 
convey  tourists,  not  exceeding  200  in  number, 
around  the  lake. 

Glenbrook  is  the  business  center  of  the  whole 
region  that  borders  on  the  lake.  It  has  four 
saw-mills  with  an  aggregate  capacity  of  five 
million  feet  per  month,  running  11 1-2  hours 
per  day,  also  a  planing  mill. 

Captain  Pray,  the  oldest  settler,  is  a  large 
land-owner,  and  much  of  the  200  acres  in  the 
ranche  on  the  shores  of  the  lake,  is  covered  with 
a  beautiful  sod  of  timothy  and  clover.  In  the 
State  there  is  no  finer  land,  and  as  the  captain 
and  other  mill-owners  will  rent  none  for  saloon 
purposes,  Glenbrook,  with  a  summer  population 
of  500,  is  a  temperance  town.  The  Glenbrook 
Hotel,  usually  kept  in  first-class  style,  is  usually 
open  each  season,  if  not,  comfortable  accommo- 
dations can  still  be  found  at  the  Lake  Shore 
House,  for  $20  a  week,  without  extra  charge  for 
the  use  of  boats. 

Shakespeare  Rock,  a  remarkable  curiosity,  is 
a  bold,  perpendicular  rock  on  which  the  profile 
of  the  great  poet's  face  is  outlined  with  great 
accuracy. 

From  Glenbrook  there  is  a  charming  drive  on 
the  old  Placerville  Road,  past  Cave  Rock,  and 
around  the  head  of  the  lake  to  Rowlands  or 


217 


Yank's.  The  road  was  constructed  at  great  ex- 
pense— a  single  mile  near  the  rock,  costing  $40,- 
000.  The  only  other  drive,  of  note,  is  from 
Tahoe  City  to  Sugar  Pine  Point. 

The  whole  of  the  lake  is  not  visible  until  the 
steamer  has  run  out  a  little  distance  from  the 
shore.  Then  its  generic  name  is  rather  fitting. 
"  Tahoe,"  in  the  Indian,  signifies  "  big  water," 
and  is  the  name  for  ocean.  The  shore  slopes 
gently,  in  places,  for  two  miles  to  a  depth  of 
from  30  to  50  feet,  then  breaks  sometimes  ab- 
ruptly as  at  the  Bluffs  of  Rubicon  or  Observa- 
tory Point,  to  a  depth  of  600  or  800  feet;  and  off 
Sugar  Pine  Point  is  the  greatest  depth  yet  found. 
The  water  is  clear  as  crystal,  and  the  tempera- 
ture in  summer,  when  taken  from  considerable 
depth,  very  near  the  freezing  point.  The  fare 
across  the  lake  is  $2.50,  and  around,  $5.  The 
steamer  must  lie  idle  half  the  year,  and  reasona- 
ble fares  may  seem  thus  high.  Leaving  Glen- 
brook  for  a  circuit  around  the  head  of  the  lake, 
the  first  object  of  interest  is  Cave  Rock,  three 
and  one-half  miles  from  Glenbrook,  about  400 
feet  high.  This  appears  in  the  engraving  from 
Moran's  sketch  made  from  the  point  just  south 
of  Glenbrook,  and  looking  south  and  west. 

After  passing  the  rock,  and  looking  back,  it 
resembles  the  Great  South  Dome  of  Yosernite, 
split  in  two,  and  the  cavern,  30  feet  in  length,  is 
seen  about  100  feet  above  the  ground.  The  line 
of  solid  masonry  and  bridge  for  the  road  can  just 
be  traced  from  the  point  where  the  artist  stood. 
Leaving  Cave  Rock,  Zephyr  Cove  is  three  miles 
south.  Beautiful  meadows  afford  fine  pasturage, 
and  being  on  the  east  side,  the  earliest  vege- 
tables are  here  grown.  The  mountain's  wall 
shows  plainly  its  broken  but  regular  character. 
From  the  main  ridge,  a  cross  spur  is  thrown  out, 
but  this  must  again  be  broken  into  a  succession 
of  small  canons  and  "  divides." 

Just  south  of  the  cave  is  the  old  Friday 
Ranche,  well  known  by  the  pioneers  who  were 
"on  the  way  to  Washoe"  and  the  Kingsbury 
Canon,  through  which  the  road  crossed  the 
mountain  to  Genoa.  In  other  days,  the  toll  re- 
ceipts on  the  Kingsbury  grade  were  $500  a  day. 

Rowlands, — 14  miles  from  Glenbrook,  at  the 
head  of  the  lake,  on  the  Old  Placerville  Road, 
was  the  first  place  of  resort  on  the  lake  and 
originally  called  the  Lake  House.  It  has  greatly 
changed  from  the  day  when  J.  Ross  Browne  was 
a  guest,  and  the  host  "  seemed  to  be  quite  worn  out 
with  his  run  of  customers, — from  a  hundred  to 
three  hundred  of  a  night,  and  nowhere  to  stow 
'em — all  cussin'  at  him  for  not  keepin'  provis- 
ions, with  but  little  to  drink,  except  old  fash- 
ioned tarantula-juice,  warranted  to  kill  at  forty 
paces."  It  has  now  two  stores  and  a  post-office, 
with  accommodations  for  tourists  at  moderate 
price.  Lake  Valley  appears,  from  a  distance, 
like  a  large,  pine-covered  flat.  It  is  14  miles 
long  and  six  wide,  partly  covered  with  timber, 


and  having  much  grazing  land  of  the  best 
quality.  The  stock  that  pastures  in  these  fertile 
valleys  of  the  lake,  is  all  driven  out  before  the 
winter  snows  begin.  Between  Rowlands  and 
Yank's,  is  the  terminus  of  Gardner's  Rail- 
road, a  successful  enterprise  for  lumbering.  It 
will  soon  be  extended  from  six  to  ten  miles. 

Yank's — is  4  miles  from  Rowlands,  and  at 
the  south-west  end  of  the  lake,  just  west  of  and 
with  convenient  access  to  Lake  Valley,  and  is 
situated  on  a  grassy  sward,  in  a  beautiful  grove 
of  tamaracks  interspersed  with  tall  pines  and 
quaking  aspens,  with  a  pebbly  beach  gently 
sloping  from  Teliae  Point,  commanding  a  view 
of  the  whole  lake,  with  convenient  access  to 
Teliae  Mountain,  and  only  two  miles  from  Fall- 
en Leaf  Lake,  another  beautiful  sheet  of  water, 
three  miles  long  and  one  and  one-half  wide,  at 
the  head  of  which  are  excellent  Soda  Springs. 
Teliae  Mountain  is  easily  recognized  from  its 
long,  flat  summit,  and  may  be  ascended  via  Fall- 
en Leaf  Lake  and  a  steep  canon.  The  view 
from  the  summit  is  one  of  the  finest  on  the  Con- 
tinent. 

To  the  east,  looking  across  Lake  Valley  and 
the  beautiful  Tahoe,  the  eastern  summits  do  not 
shut  out  the  country  beyond,  for  Carson  Valley 
and  much  of  Nevada  are  in  sight.  On  the  west, 
are  the  great  valleys  of  central  California,  beyond 
them  the  Coast  Range,  and  scattered  among  the 
countless  snow  and  purple  peaks  of  the  Sierras, 
there  nestle  thirty-six  lakes  in  sight,  varying 
from  the  deep,  dark  blue  of  Tahoe  to  the  bril- 
liancy of  silver  beneath  a  noonday  sun.  Horses 
and  boats  are  always  to  be  had  at  Yank's. 
Twenty  dollars  per  week  is  the  price  of  board ; 
boats  are  charged  for  at  city  prices  for  carriages. 
"  Yank"  is  a  soubriquet  to  mark  the  Green  Mount- 
ain origin  of  the  host,  Mr.  E.  Clement.  The 
tourist  will  need  no  further  introduction,  but 
should  be  informed  that  Yank  spends  his  winters 
at  the  lake  and  sees  snow  come  down  the  mount- 
ains and  accumulate  around  his  buildings.  Of  all 
places  on  the  lake,  none  is  more  truly  beautiful 
for  situation,  than  Yank's  and  it  is  a  favorite 
resort. 

Leaving  Yank's,  the  steamer  heads  north  and 
proceeds  four  miles  to  Emerald  Bay,  passing  two 
well-rounded  peaks  at  the  foot  of  which  is  a 
beautiful  valley,  in  which  lies  Cascade  Lake. 
This,  too.  is  accessible  from  Yank's  and  is  one  of 
its  attractions.  The  point  just  north  of  the  en- 
trance to  Emerald  Bay  was  long  the  home  of 
America's  pride  among  the  birds,  and  is  named 
Eagle  Point. 

Emerald  Say — is  a  gem  of  beauty — entered 
on  the  south  side  of  a  narrow  strait,  as  shown  on 
our  title-page.  It  is  two  miles  long  by  about 
three-fourths  of  a  mile  wide.  The  entrance  is 
shoal,  but  the  bay  deep.  Near  the  head  of  the 
bay  is  a  little  granite  island,  with  a  few  small 
trees  and  shrubs,  and  the  unfilled  tomb  of  an 


218 


eccentric  tar — Captain  Dick — who  prepared  the 
island  for  his  own  mausoleum,  in  which  he  in- 
tended to  place  himself  on  the  approach  of  death, 
but  his  drowned  body  became  food  for  the  fishes, 
and  the  lonely  cross  marked  an  empty  tomb. 

This  charming  bay  is  owned  by  Ben  Holladay, 
Jr.  His  summer  residence  is  surrounded  by  a 
grove  of  willows  and  a  stream  fed  by  eternal 
snows,  pouring  down  in  three  successive  lofty 
waterfalls,  which  rival  in  grace  and  beauty 
some  of  the  smaller  in  Yosemite,  keeps  the 
grassy  sward  always  green,  and  plays  in  a 
fountain  before  the  door. 

The  surrounding  hills  are  so  steep  that  they 
can  be  climbed  only  with  great  difficulty.  Just 
opposite  the  island,  on  the  north  side,  there  is 
the  mark  of  an  avalanche  of  snow,  that  carried 
the  tall  pines  before  it  like  shrubs,  and  has  left 
the  mountain  side  completely  bare. 

Rubicon  Point  and  Bay,  and  Sugar  Pine  Point 
are  next  passed,  going  north  on  the  way  to 
McKinney's,  ten  miles  from  Emerald  Bay. 

At  McKinney's,  there  is  no  large  house,  bnt 
13  cottages  and  pleasant  surroundings.  The 
road  to  Tahoe  City,  gives  this  the  advantage  of  a 
pleasant  drive.  Board  may  be  had  at  $20  a 
week. 

Continuing  north,  the  steamer  passes  Black- 
wood  Creek,  where  some  towering  rocks  are  seen 
whose  height  is  scarcely  comprehended,  because 
the  trees  and  mountains  beyond  are  on  so  great 
a  scale.  Small  as  they  seem,  they  are  two  hun- 
dred and  fifty  feet  high,  and  the  trees  at  their 
base  not  less  than  200  feet. 

Ward's  Bay  lies  north  of  the  Creek,  and 
Bawker's  Peak,  a  sharp,  high  point,  is  back  in 
the  mountains. 

Tahoe  City — is  eight  miles  from  McKinney's, 
and  one  of  the  loveliest  spots  on  the  lake.  It  is 
at  the  source  of  the  Truckee  River,  the  only  outlet 
of  the  lake,  and  has  the  "  Grand  Central,"  the 
largest  hotel  on  the  Sierras,  with  accommodations 
for  160  guests,  and  kept  by  those  excellent  hosts, 
Bayley  &  Moody.  This  is  the  most  con- 
venient point  of  access  for  tourists  from  Califor- 
nia. The  road  to  Truckee  is  down  the  beautiful 
canon  of  the  Truckee  River,  through  a  noble 
forest  of  pines,  invigorating  and  delightful  at 
every  step.  Sail  and  row-boats  of  all  kinds  may 
be  had  at  this  point,  and  also  carriages ;  but  the 
prices  should  be  agreed  upon  beforehand.  No 
boats  are  kept  for  the  use  of  the  hotel. 

Board  at  the  Grand  Central  may  be  had,  vary- 
ing from  $3.00  to  $4.00  per  day,  according  to 
rooms.  The  view  of  the  lake  from  Tahoe  City 
is  not  excelled,  and  equalled  only  at  Yank's 
and  the  Hot  Springs. 

The  hotel  and  other  accommodations  are  supe- 
rior to  all  others  on  the  lake.  Besides  the  Grand 
Central,  there  is  the  Tahoe  House,  kept  by  Cap- 
tain Pomin. 

Tourists  who  desire  to  spend  only  one  day  in 


visiting  the  lake,  take  stages  at  this  point  to 
Truckee,  12  miles  down  the  river. 

Trout. — At  Tahoe  City  there  is  a  trout  estab- 
lishment of  much  interest;  and  another,  on  a 
larger  scale,  on  the  river  half  way  to  Truckee 
Station.  The  water  is  admitted  to  a  series  of 
ponds,  each  pond  being  appropriated  to  trout  of 
a  different  size.  The  eggs  are  taken  during  April, 
May  and  June,  when  the  fish  ascend  the  river 
and  the  creeks,  to  spawn.  The  eggs  are  stripped 
from  the  female  and  impregnated  by  stripping 
the  male  fish  into  the  same  vessel  in  which  the 
eggs  are  contained,  and  then  placed  on  inclined 
shelves  or  tables  where  about  half  an  inch  of 
water  runs  gently,  but  steadily  over  them.  The 
temperature  of  the  water  affects  the  time  of  hatch- 
ing, and  the  desire  is  to  have  the  water  as  cold  as 
possible  at  the  expense  of  time  to  produce  the 
hardier  fish.  One  trout  contains  about  7,000 
spawn.  Twenty-five  cents  is  charged  for  admis- 
sion to  the  fishery,  and  the  privilege  of  fishing  in 
the  ponds  granted  for  twenty-five  or  fifty  cents  a 
fish,  according  to  the  size. 

The  fishing  in  the  lake  is  done  by  trolling. 
Spoon-hooks  are  sometimes  used,  but  early  in  the 
season  it  is  necessary  to  have  some  shining  de- 
vice to  attract  attention  besides  a  minnow  on 
the  hook.  The  fisheries  have  been  quite  success- 
ful in  hatching  fish,  but  not  profitable.  At  first 
nearly  all  died ;  now  nearly  all  are  raised.  The 
young  fish  are  nourished  for  several  days  after 
birth  by  a  portion  of  the  egg  from  which  they 
are  hatched  remaining  attached  to  them  till  it  is 
absorbed,  and  then  are  fed  on  mashed  fish,  the 
yolks  of  eggs  and  liver,  and  the  large  trout  are 
fed  on  suckers  and  white  fish  caught  in  the  lakes 
with  seines.  Of  course  no  trout  are  caught  in 
seines,  for  this  is  contrary  to  law. 

After  they  have  grown  to  weigh  several  pounds, 
they  will  increase  at  the  rate  of  a  pound  a  year. 
The  quantity  caught  in  a  year  can  not  be  esti- 
mated. Many  are  never  sent  to  market,  and 
they  are  caught  in  both  the  lake  and  the  river 
as  well  as  in  Donner  Lake. 

From  the  Truckee  River  alone,  170,000  pounds 
were  caught  last  season,  half  of  which  were  ship- 
ped to  Virginia  City. 

In  the  lake  there  are  at  least  four  kinds,  two 
of  which  are  most  commonly  known.  These  are 
the  silver  trout  and  the  black  trout.  The  silver 
trout  are  most  highly  esteemed,  are  always  taken 
in  deep  water,  and  attain  a  size  of  thirty-two 
pounds.  The  silver  trout  of  Donner  Lake  grow 
from  eight  to  ten  pounds,  and  those  in  the  river 
are  not  so  large.  The  black  trout  run  up  the 
creeks  sooner  in  the  spring  than  the  silver,  but 
the  latter  can  pass  over  greater  obstacles  than 
the  former. 

The  white  fish  found  in  the  lake  are  quite  un- 
like those  of  the  Great  North  American  Lakes. 

While  the  tourist  who  merely  crosses  the  lake 
from  Glenbrook  to  Tahoe  or  vice  versa,  or  who 


219 


desires  to  reach  the  Central  Pacific  Railroad, 
with  the  loss  of  one  day  only  will  not  make  the 
entire  circuit  of  the  lake  ;  others  will  visit  the 
north  end,  and  some  may  prefer  this  alone. 
Continuing  around  from  Tahoe  City,  Burton's 
or  Island  Farm  is  two  miles  from  Tahoe  City. 
It  is  a  lovely  spot,  with  summer  green  meadows 
and  pebbly  beach,  and  accommodates  at  reason- 
able cost,  25  or  30  people.  It  is  a  favorite  resort 
for  California  clergymen  needing  rest. 

Burton's  is  connected  with  Tahoe  City  by  a 
carriage  road,  and  is  not  too  far  to  exercise  at 
the  oars  of  a  small  boat. 

Passing  around  the  north  end  of  the  lake, 
there  is  next,  Observatory  Point,  where  the  great 
telescope  of  James  Lick  was  expected  to  be 
erected,  and  beyond  this  is  Carneliaii  Bay,  and 
Carnelian  Beach,  so  called  from  fine  specimens 
of  chalcedony  here  found.  Here  is  Doctor 
Bournes'  hygienic  establishment. 

Beyond  this,  are  Agate  bay  and  then  Camp- 
bell's Hot  Springs,  ten  miles  from  Glenbrook. 
and  on  Boundary  Point,  because  it  marks  the 
dividing  line  between  California  and  Nevada. 

The  water  boils  out  in  several  places  in  great 
volume.  The  hotel  is  comfortable;  the  charge 
$3  a  day ;  the  entire  lake  is  seen  from  the  house, 
and  the  baths  are  an  advantage  to  be  had  no- 
where else  on  the  lake.  There  is  a  stage  from  this 
point  to  Truckee,  and  the  stages  from  Tahoe  City 
will  also  carry  passengers  thence  to  the  springs. 

Fishing  and  boating  and  driving  can  be  en- 
joyed at  pleasure,  and  in  the  hills  there  are  a  few 
grouse,  quail,  deer,  and  bear,  but  game  is  not 
plentiful. 

The  Lumber  and  Trees  of  the  Lake 
Region. — The  logs  which  are  brought  down  to 
the  lake  at  various  points  are  towed  to  Glenbrook 
in  V-shaped  booms,  from  50  to  70  feet  wide  at 
one  end,  and  about  150  feet  long,  averaging 
200,000  feet  of  lumber. 

The  sugar  pine  is  the  most  valuable,  then  the 
yellow  pine.  The  black,  or  "  bull "  pine  was 
long  despised,  but  is  now  highly  prized  for  its 
strength.  It  reaches,  in  California,  a  diameter 
of  15,  and  height  of  200  feet;  about  the  lake,  a 
diameter  of  10  feet.  The  leaves  are  of  a  dark 
green  color,  but  the  cones  are  enormous — some- 
times 18  inches  long.  The  wood  is  fine  grained 
and  solid,  soft  and  clear. 

The  yellow  pine  is  not  quite  so  large,  seldom 
exceeding  10  feet  in  diameter,  and  has  bark  fur- 
rowed into  plate-like  sections,  six  or  eight  inches 
wide,  and  from  12  to  20  inches  long. 

The  "  bull "  pine  is  a  favorite  with  the  wood- 
pecker for  storing  his  acorns,  not  in  the  hollow 
trees,  but  by  drilling  holes  in  the  bark,  and  fit- 
ting an  acorn  into  each.  Old  woodmen  say  the 
bird  never  makes  a  misfit,  and  selects,  the  first 
time,  a  nut  which  will  exactly  fill  the  hole  he 
has  drilled.  In  the  valleys  of  California,  nearly 
all  large  trees  are  utilized  in  this  way. 


There  are  two  kinds  of  fir,  the  white  and  the 
red.  The  latter  called  also  the  Douglass  fir,  is  a 
good  strong  timber ;  the  former  is  the  least 
esteemed  in  the  market. 

Other  pines  of  the  Sierras  are  interesting,  but 
notice  of  all  must  be  omitted  except  the  Nut  or 
"  Digger "  pine,  so  called  from  a  sweet  or  oily 
seed  forming  a  staple  article  of  food  for  the 
Indians,  but  it  does  not  grow  in  the  high 
Sierras.  It  is  dwarfish  and  scraggy,  without 
one  main  trunk,  but  dividing  up  into  several. 
It  is  said  that  this  is  so  liable  to  "  draw  "  while 
seasoning,  that  miners  who  were  compelled  to 
use  it  for  building  their  cabins,  were  not  sur- 
prised to  see  them  turn  over  two  or  three  times 
in  the  course  of  the  summer. 

As  two  daily  passenger  trains  leave  Reno  for 
San  Francisco,  one  arriving  via  Vallejo  in 
eleven  and  a  quarter  hours,  and  the  other  via 
Stockton  in  seventeen  and  a  half  hours,  from 
the  time  of  leaving  Truckee,  the  tourist  econo- 
mizing time,  will  take  the  former,  leaving 
Truckee  at  midnight. 

By  leaving  at  3  A.  M.,  daylight  will  soon  fol- 
low in  the  summer  months,  and  the  fine  scenery 
of  the  Sierras  be  more  enjoyed. 

To  see  the  mountains,  the  best  plan  is  to  stop 
at  the  summit,  where  there  is  another  of  the 
first-class  hotels  of  James  Cardwell,  and  gain  the 
views  from  the  peaks  near  by,  and  then  descend 
the  mountain  by  a  freight  train,  leaving  the 
summit  at  5.30  A.  M.,  and  reaching  Sacramento 
the  same  evening,  at  7.45.  For  this,  one  must 
be  willing  to  exchange  the  Palace  car  for  the 
caboose,  and  accept  delay  in  exchange  for  the 
leisurely  enjoyment  of  the  most  wonderful  rail- 
road scenery  in  the  world. 


The    Great   Nevada   Flume. 

A    PERILOUS    RIDE. 
By  H.  J.  Ramsdell,  of  The  N.  Y.  Tribune. 

A  15  mile  ride  in  a  flume  down  the  Sierra 
Nevada  Mountains  in  35  minutes,  was  not  one  of 
the  things  contemplated  on  my  visit  to  Virginia 
City,  and  it  is  entirely  within  reason  to  say  that 
I  shall  never  make  the  trip  again. 

The  flume  cost,  with  its  appurtenances,  between 
$200,000  and  $300,000.  It  was  built  by  a  com- 
pany interested  in  the  mines  here,  principally 
owners  of  the  Consolidated  Virginia,  California, 
Hale  &  Norcross,  Gould  &  Curry,  Best  &  Belcher, 
and  Utah  Mines.  The  largest  stockholders  are  J. 
C.  F16od,  James  G.  Fair,  John  Mackey,  arid  W.  S. 
O'Brien,  who  compose,  without  doubt,  the  wealth- 
iest firm  in  the  United  States. 

The  mines  named  use  1,000,000  feet  of  lumber 
per  month  underground,  and  burn  40,000  cords 
of  wood  per  year.  Wood  here  is  worth  from  $10 
to  .$12  a  cord,  and  at  market  prices,  Messrs. 


220 


Flood  &  Co.,  would  have  to  pay  for  wood  alone, 
nearly  $500,000  per  year. 

Virginia  City  is  not  built  in  a  forest.  From 
the  top  of  Mount  Davidson,  which  is  half  a  mile 
back  from  the  city,  there  is  not  a  tree  in  sight, 
except  a  few  shade-trees  in  the  city. 

Going  into  the  mines  the  other  day,  and  see- 
ing the  immense  amount  of  timber  used,  I  asked 
Mr.  Mackey  where  all  the  wood  and  timber  came 
from.  "  It  comes,"  said  he,  "  from  our  lands  in 
the  Sierras,  40  or  50  miles  from  here.  We  own 
over  12,000  acres  in  the  vicinity  of  Washoe  Lake, 
all  of  which  is  heavily  timbered." 

"  How  do  you  get  it  here  ?  "  I  asked. 

"  It  comes,"  said  he,  "  in  our  flume  down  the 
mountain,  15  miles,  and  from  our  dumping 
grounds  is  brought  by  the  Virginia  &  Truckee 
Railroad  to  this  city,  16  miles.  You  ought  to  see 
this  flume  before  you  go  back.  It  is  really  a 
wonderful  thing." 

The  Journey. — When,  therefore,  two  days 
afterward,  I  was  invited  to  accompany  Mr.  Flood 
and  Mr.  Fair  to  the  head  of  the  flume,  I  did  not 
hesitate  to  accept  their  kind  offer.  We  started 
at  four  o'clock  in  the  morning,  in  two  buggies, 
the  two  gentlemen  named  in  one  buggy,  and  Mr. 
Hereford,  the  President  and  Superintendent  of  the 
company  (which  is  known  as  the  Pacific  Wood, 
Lumber  and  Flume  Company)  and  myself  in  the 
other. 

The  drive  through  Washoe  Valley,  and  along 
the  mountains,  up  and  down  for  16  miles  over  a 
road  which,  for  picturesqueness,  is  without  an 
equal  in  memory,  can  not  be  described.  Not  a 
tree,  nor  bush,  nor  any  green  vegetation  was  in 
sight.  Hills  and  mountains,  well  defined  and 
separate  in  character,  were  in  every  direction. 
Sage  brush  and  jack  rabbits  were  the  only  living 
things  in  sight.  That  beautiful  purple  atmos- 
phere or  mist,  which  has  a  dreamy,  sleepy  effect 
in  the  landscape,  overspread  the  mountains  and 
extended  through  the  valley. 

The  road  we  traversed  swung  round  and  round 
the  mountains,  now  going  nearly  to  the  summit, 
and  now  descending  to  their  base. 

Both  teams  employed  were  of  the  best,  and  in 
less  than  an  hour  and  a  half  we  had  accom- 
plished the  first  part  of  our  journey,  16  miles. 
Here  we  breakfasted  and  went  to  the  end  of  the 
flume,  a  quarter  of  a  mile  distant.  The  men 
were  running  timber  16  inches  square  and  10 
feet  long  through  it.  The  trestle-work  upon 
which  the  flume  rested  was  about  20  feet  from 
the  ground.  The  velocity  of  the  movement  of 
the  timber  could  scarcely  be  credited,  for  it  re- 
quires from  only  twenty-five  minutes  to  half  an 
hour  for  it  to  float  the  entire  length  of  the  flume, 
15  miles. 

The  flume  is  shaped  like  the  letter  V,  and  is 
made  of  two-inch  plank  nailed  together  in  the 
above  shape.  Across  the  top  it  is  about  two  and 
one-half  feet  in  width.  The  ends  are  very  care- 


fully fitted,  so  that  where  the  planks  go  together 
there  may  be  no  unevenness ;  for  timbers  going  at 
the  rate  of  15  to  60  miles  per  hour  must  have  a 
clear  coast. 

In  this  trough  the  water  runs  from  Hunter's 
Creek,  which  is  situated  about  20  miles  from  the 
terminus  of  the  flume. 

Some  idea  of  the  swiftness  with  which  the 
timber  runs  through  the  flume,  may  be  had 
when  it  is  stated  that  in  the  flume  there  floats 
500,000  feet  of  lumber  every  day  (about  ten 
hours),  or  500  cords  of  wood. 

Near  the  terminus  an  iron  break  is  placed  in 
the  trough,  slanting  toward  one  side,  so  that 
when  the  timber  comes  rushing  down,  50  or  100 
pieces,  one  after  the  other,  each  piece  is  turned 
toward  the  side,  and  the  men  at  the  break,  with 
a  dexterous  use  of  the  crowbar,  send  them 
bounding  to  the  ground. 

I  climbed  to  the  top  of  the  trestle-work,  be- 
fore the  timber  began  to  come.  It  was  like  the 
rushing  of  a  herd  of  buffalo  on  a  party  of  hunt- 
ers, and  I  preferred  to  view  the  flume,  in  active 
working,  from  a  distance. 

We  changed  teams  upon  resuming  our  journey, 
taking  fresh  horses  for  the  mountain  ascent. 
Horsemen  in  the  East  who  have  never  seen  the 
mountains  of  Nevada,  Colorado  and  California, 
can  have  no  idea  of  the  amount  of  work  a  horse 
can  do,  and  of  the  difficult  places  through  which 
he  will  go,  and  of  the  load  he  will  carry  or  draw. 

How  a  pair  of  horses  can  pull  a  buggy  and 
two  men  up  a  grade  that  seems  half-way  be- 
tween the  horizontal  and  the  perpendicular,  over 
stones  and  fallen  trees,  and  through  underbrush 
six  feet  high  and  very  thick,  is  a  question  I  can 
never  hope  to  solve ;  at  any  rate,  we  reached  the 
lower  mill  of  the  company,  about  18  or  20  miles. 
This  was  several  hours  before  noon. 

The  mill  is  situated  in  the  lower  belt  of  tim- 
ber, and  there  are  between  400  and  500  men  at 
work.  This  number  includes  those  engaged  in 
cutting  trees,  hauling  logs,  and  sawing  the  lum- 
ber. How  the  heavy  machinery  of  the  mills, 
and  the  engines  which  work  them  were  brought 
from  the  city  up  the  mountains  and  placed  in 
position,  is  another  mystery  which  I  have  not 
tried  to  investigate. 

The  amount  of  lumber  turned  out  by  the 
owner  of  these  mills,  the  upper  and  the  lower,  the 
former  being  two  and  one-half  miles  farther  up 
the  mountain,  is  marvellous. 

In  five  minutes'  time,  a  log  from  two  to  four 
feet  in  diameter  is  reduced  to  lumber,  planks, 
scantling,  boards,  and  square  timber,  perhaps  all 
from  the  same  log,  for  it  is  cut  in  the  most  ad- 
vantageous manner.  Sometimes  one  log  will 
give  three  or  four  different  kinds  of  lumber. 
The  lower  mill  is  kept  running  night  and  day,  and 
has  a  capacity  of  50,000  feet  per  day  cf  small 
stuff,  and  of  70,000  feet  when  working  on  large 
timber. 


221 


SUMMITS  OF  THE  SIEEKAS. 

BY  THOMAS  MOKAN. 


222 


The  upper  mill  has  less  than  half  the  capacity, 
being  smaller,  and  being  worked  only  12  hours 
a  day. 

The  Flume. — The  flume  is  a  wonderful 
piece  of  engineering  work.  It  is  built  wholly 
upon  trestle-work,  and  stringers ;  there  is  not  a 
cut  in  ,the  whole  distance,  and  the  grade  is  so 
heavy  that  there  is  little  danger  of  a  jam. 

The  trestle-work  is  very  substantial,  and  is  un- 
doubtedly strong  enough  to  support  a  narrow 
gauge  railway.  It  runs  over  foot  hills,  through 
valleys,  around  mountains,  and  across  canons. 

In  one  place  it  is  70  feet  high.  The  highest 
point  of  the  flume  from  the  plain,  is  3,700  feet, 
and  on  an  air  line,  from  beginning  to  end,  the 
distance  is  eight  miles,  the  course  thus  taking 
up  seven  miles  in  twists  and  turns.  The  trestle- 
work  is  thoroughly  braced,  longitudinally  and 
across,  so  that  no  break  can  extend  farther  than  a 
single  box,  which  is  16  feet ;  all  the  main  sup- 
ports, which  are  five  feet  apart,  are  firmly  set  in 
mud-sills,  and  the  boxes  or  troughs  rest  in  brackets 
four  feet  apart.  These  again  rest  upon  sub- 
stantial stringers.  The  grade  of  the  flume  is 
between  1,600  and  2,000  feet  from  the  top  to 
lower  end,  a  distance  of  15  miles. 

The  sharpest  fall  is  three  feet  in  six.  There 
are  two  reservoirs  from  which  the  flume  is  fed. 
One  is  1,100  feet  long,  and  the  other  600  feet.  A 
ditch,  nearly  two  miles  long,  takes  the  water  to  the 
first  reservoir,  whence  it  is  conveyed  3  1-4  miles  to 
the  flume  through  a  feeder  capable  of  carrying 
450  inches  of  water. 

The  whole  flume  was  built  in  10  weeks.  In 
that  time  all  the  trestle-work,  stringers  and  boxes 
were  put  in  place.  About  200  men  were  employed 
on  it  at  one  time,  being  divided  into  four  gangs. 
It  required  2,000,000  feet  of  lumber,  but  the  item 
which  astonished  me  most  was  that  there  were 
28  tons,  or  o6,000  pounds  of  nails,  used  in  the 
construction  of  this  flume. 

To  the  lower  mill,  as  the  road  goes,  it  is  about 
40  miles  from  Virginia  City.  Although  I  had 
already  ridden  this  distance,  yet  I  mounted  a 
horse  and  rode  two  or  three  miles  to  the  top  of 
the  mountain,  where  I  had  one  of  the  finest 
valley  views  that  come  to  the  lot  of  man.  Miles 
and  miles  below,  the  valley  was  spread  out  with 
spots  and  squares  of  green  crops  growing,  and 
barren  wastes  of  sand  and  sage  brush  reach- 
ing in  a  long  stretch  to  the  base  of  another 
spur  of  the  Sierras.  The  City  of  Reno  occupied 
a  little  spot  on  the  plain — from  my  mountain  it 
seemed  like  a  city  of  toy  houses  built  on  Nature's 
carpet. 

A  Ride  in  the  Flume. — Upon  my  return  I 
found  that  Mr.  Flood  and  Mr.  Fair  had  arranged 
for  a  ride  in  the  flume,  and  I  was  challenged  to 
go  with  them.  Indeed,  the  proposition  was  put 
in  the  form  of  a  challenge — they  dared  me  to  go. 

I  thought  that  if  men  worth  $25,000,000  or 
$30,000,000  apiece,  could  afford  to  risk  their  lives, 


I  could  afford  to  risk  mine,  which  was  not  worth 
half  as  much. 

So  I  accepted  the  challenge,  and  two  boats 
were  ordered.  These  were  nothing  more  than 
pig-troughs,  with  one  end  knocked  out.  The 
"  boat "  is  built,  like  the  flume,  V  shaped,  and 
fits  into  the  flume.  It  is  composed  of  three 
pieces  of  wood — two  two-inch  planks,  16  feet 
long,  and  an  end  board  which  is  nailed  about 
two  and  one-half  feet  across  the  top. 

The  forward  end  of  the  boat  was  left  open, 
the  rear  end  closed  with  a  board — against  which 
was  to  come  the  current  of  water  to  propel  us. 
Two  narrow  boards  were  placed  in  the  boat  for 
seats,  and  everything  was  made  ready.  Mr. 
Fair  and  myself  were  to  go  in  the  first  boat,  and 
Mr.  Flood  and  Mr.  Hereford  in  the  other. 

Mr.  Fair  thought  that  we  had  better  take  a 
third  man  with  us  who  knew  something  about 
the  flume.  There  were  probably  50  men  from 
the  mill  standing  in  the  vicinity  waiting  to  see 
us  off,  and  when  it  was  proposed  to  take  a  third 
man,  the  question  was  asked  of  them  if  anybody 
was  willing  to  go. 

Only  one  man,  a  red-faced  carpenter,  who  takes 
more  kindly  to  whisky  than  his  bench,  volun- 
teered to  go.  Finally,  everything  was  arranged. 
Two  or  three  stout  men  held  the  boat  over  the 
flume,  and  told  us  to  jump  into  it  the  minute  it 
touched  the  water,  and  to  "  hang  on  to  our  hats." 

The  signal  of  "  all  ready  "  was  given,  the  boat 
was  launched,  and  we  jumped  into  it  as  best  we 
could,  which  was  not  very  well,  and  away  we 
went  like  the  wind. 

One  man  who  helped  to  launch  the  boat,  fell 
into  it  just  as  the  water  struck  it,  but  he  scam- 
pered out  on  the  trestle,  and  whether  he  was 
hurt  or  not,  we  could  not  wait  to  see. 

The  grade  of  the  flume  at  the  mill  is  very 
heavy,  and  the  water  rushes  through  it  at  rail- 
road speed.  The  terrors  of  that  ride  can  never 
be  blotted  from  the  memory  of  one  of  that  party. 
To  ride  upon  the  cow-catcher  of  an  engine  down 
a  steep  grade  is  simply  exhilarating,  for  you 
know  there  is  a  wide  track,  regularly  laid  upon 
a  firm  foundation,  that  there  are  wheels  grooved 
and  fitted  to  the  track,  that  there  are  trusty  men 
at  the  brakes,  and  better  than  all,  you  know  that 
the  power  that  impels  the  train  can  be  rendered 
powerless  in  an  instant  by  the  driver's  light 
touch  upon  his  lever.  But  a  flume  has  no  ele- 
ment of  safety.  In  the  first  place  the  grade  can 
not  be  regulated  as  it  can  on  a  railroad  ;  you  can 
not  go  fast  or  slow  at  pleasure ;  you  are  wholly  at 
the  mercy  of  the  water.  You  can  not  stop  ;  you 
can  not  lessen  your  speed ;  you  have  nothing  to 
hold  to;  you  have  only  to  sit  still,  shut  your 
eyes,  say  your  prayers,  take  all  the  water  that 
comes  —  filling  your  boat,  wetting  your  feet, 
drenching  you  like  a  plunge  through  the  surf, — 
and  wait  for  eternity.  It  is  all  there  is  to  hope 
for  after  you  are  launched  in  a  flume-boat.  I 


223 


can  not  give  the  reader  a  better  idea  of  a  flume 
ride  than  to  compare  it  to  riding  down  an  old 
fashioned  eave-trough  at  an  angle  of  45°,  hang- 
ing in  midair  without  support  of  roof  or  house, 
and  thus  shot  a  distance  of  15  miles. 

At  the  start,  we  went  at  the  rate  of  about  20 
miles  an  hour,  which  is  a  little  less  than  the  av- 
erage speed  of  a  railroad  train.  The  reader  can 
have  no  idea  of  the  speed  we  made,  until  he 
compares  it  to  a  railroad.  The  average  time  we 
made  was  30  miles  per  hour — a  mile  in  two  min- 
utes for  the  entire  distance.  This  is  greater 
than  the  average  running  time  of  railroads. 

Incidents  of  the  Hide. — The  red-faced  car- 
penter sat  in  front  of  our  boat  on  the  bottom,  as 
best  he  could.  Mr.  Fair  sat  on  a  seat  behind 
him,  and  I  sat  behind  Mr.  Fair  in  the  stern,  and 
was  of  great  service  to  him  in  keeping  the  water, 
which  broke  over  the  end-board,  from  his  back. 

There  was  a  great  deal  of  water  also  shipped 
in  the  bows  of  the  hog-trough,  and  I  know  Mr. 
Fair's  broad  shoulders  kept  me  from  many  a 
wetting  in  that  memorable  trip. 

At  the  heaviest  grade  the  water  came  in  so 
furiously  in  front,  that  it  was  impossible  to  see 
where  we  were  going,  or  what  was  ahead  of  us  ; 
but,  when  the  grade  was  light,  and  we  were  go- 
ing at  a  three  or  four-minute  pace,  the  vision  was 
very  delightful,  although  it  was  terrible. 

In  this  ride,  which  fails  me  to  describe,  I  was 
perched  up  in  a  boat  no  wider  than  a  chair,  some- 
times 20  feet  high  in  the  air,  and  with  the 
ever  varying  altitude  of  the  flume,  often  70 
feet  high.  When  the  water  would  enable  me  to 
look  ahead,  I  would  see  this  trestle  here  and 
there  for  miles,  so  small  and  narrow,  and  appar- 
ently so  fragile,  that  I  could  only  compare  it  to 
a  chalk-mark,  upon  which,  high  in  the  air,  I  was 
running  at  a  rate  unknown  upon  railroads. 

One  circumstance  during  the  trip  did  more  to 
show  me  the  terrible  rapidity  with  which  we 
dashed  through  the  flume,  than  anything  else. 
We  had  been  rushing  down  at  a  pretty  lively 
rate  of  speed,  when  the  boat  suddenly  struck 
something  in  the  bow — a  nail,  or  lodged  stick  of 
wood,  which  ought  not  to  have  been  there.  What 
was  the  result?  The  red-faced  carpenter  was 
sent  whirling  into  the  flume,  10  feet  ahead. 
Fair  was  precipitated  on  his  face,  and  I  found  a 
soft  lodgment  on  Fair's  back. 

It  seemed  to  me  that  in  a  second's  time,  Fair, 
himself  a  powerful  man,  had  the  carpenter  by 
the  scruff  of  the  neck,  and  had  pulled  him  into 
the  boat.  I  did  not  know  that,  at  this  time, 
Fair  had  his  fingers  crushed  between  the  boat 
and  the  flume. 

But  we  sped  along  ;  minutes  seemed  hours.  It 
seemed  an  hour  before  we  arrived  at  the  worst 
place  in  the  flume,  and  yet  Hereford  tells  me  it 
was  less  than  10  minutes.  The  flume  at  the  point 
alluded  to  must  have  very  near  45°  inclination. 

In  looking  out  before  we  reached  it,  I  thought 


the  only  way  to  get  to  the  bottom  was  to  fall. 
How  our  boat  kept  in  the  track  is  more  than  I 
know.  The  wind,  the  steamboat,  the  railroad 
never  went  so  fast.  I  have  been  where  the  wind 
blew  at  the  rate  of  80  miles  an  hour,  and  yet  my 
breath  was  not  taken  away.  In  the  flume,  in  the 
bad  places,  it  seemed  as  if  I  would  suffocate. 

The  first  bad  place  that  we  reached,  and  if  I 
remember  right,  it  was  the  worst,  I  got  close 
against  Fair.  I  did  not  know  that  I  would  sur- 
vive the  journey,  but  I  wanted  to  see  how  fast 
we  were  going.  So  I  lay  close  to  him  and  placed 
my  head  between  his  shoulders.  The  water  was 
coming  into  his  face,  like  the  breakers  of  the 
ocean.  When  we  went  slow,  the  breakers  came 
in  on  my  back,  but  when  the  heavy  grades  were 
reached,  the  breakers  were  in  front.  In  one  case 
Fair  shielded  me,  and  in  the  other,  I  shielded 
Fair. 

In  this  particularly  bad  place  I  allude  to,  my  de- 
sire was  to  form  some  judgment  of  the  speed  we 
were  making.  If  the  truth  must  be  spoken,  I 
was  really  scared  almost  out  of  reason ;  but  if  I 
was  on  the  way  to  eternity,  I  wanted  to  know 
exactly  how  fast  I  went;  so  I  huddled  close  to 
Fair,  and  turned  my  eyes  toward  the  hills. 
Every  object  I  placed  my  eye  on  was  gone,  be- 
fore I  could  clearly  see  what  it  was.  Mountains 
passed  like  visions  and  shadows.  It  was  with 
difficulty  that  I  could  get  my  breath.  I  felt  that 
I  did  not  weigh  an  hundred  pounds,  although 
I  knew,  in  the  sharpness  of  intellect  which  one 
has  at  such  a  moment,  that  the  scales  turned  at 
two  hundred. 

Mr.  Flood  and  Mr.  Hereford,  although  they 
started  several  minutes  later  than  we,  were  close 
upon  us.  They  were  not  so  heavily  loaded,  and 
they  had  the  full  sweep  of  the  water,  while  we 
had  it  rather  at  second  hand.  Their  boat 
finally  struck  ours  with  a  terrible  crash. 

Mr.  Flood  was  thrown  upon  his  face,  and  the 
waters  flowed  over  him,  leaving  not  a  dry  thread 
upon  him.  What  became  of  Hereford  I  do  not 
know,  except  that  when  he  reached  the  terminus 
of  the  flume,  he  was  as  wet  as  any  of  us. 

This  only  remains  to  be  said.  'We  made  the 
entire  distance  in  less  time  than  a  railroad  train 
would  ordinarily  make,  and  a  portion  of  the 
time  we  went  faster  than  a  railroad  train  ever 
went. 

Fair  said  we  went  at  least  a  mile  a  minute. 
Flood  said  we  went  at  the  rate  of  100  miles  an 
hour,  and  my  deliberate  belief  is  that  we  went 
at  a  rate  that  annihilated  time  and  space.  We 
were  a  wet  lot  when  we  reached  the  terminus  of 
the  flume.  Flood  said  he  would  not  make  the 
trip  again,  for  the  whole  Consolidated  Virginia 
Mine. 

Fair  said  that  he  should  never  again  place  him- 
self on  an  equality  with  timber  and  wood,  and 
Hereford  said  he  was  sorry  that  he  ever  built  the 
flume.  As  for  myself,  I  told  the  millionaire  that 


224 


I  had  accepted  my  last  challenge.     When  we  left 
our  boats  we  were  more  dead  than  alive. 

We  had  yet  16  miles  to  drive  to  Virginia  City. 
How  we  reached  home,  the  reader  will  never 
know.  I  asked  Flood  what  I  was  to  do  with  my 
spoiled  suit  of  English  clothes.  He  bade  me 
good  night,  with  the  remark  that  my  clothes  were 
good  enough  to  give  away.  The  next  day, 
neither  Flood  nor  Fair  were  able  to  leave  their 
bed.  For  myself,  I  had  only  strength  enough 
left  to  say,  "  /  have  had  enough  of  flumes" 

RENO  TO  SAN  FRANCISCO. 

Proceeding  from  Reno,  directly  to  San  Fran- 
cisco, the  line  of  the  railroad  is  along  the 
Truckee  River. 
The  meadows 
grow  narrower, 
and  the  mount- 
ains approach  on 
either  side,  then 
widen  again  in 
Pleasant  Valley. 

Verdi— is  283 
miles  east  of  San 
Francisco,  has 
three  stores  and  a 
planing  mill ;  de- 
rives its  impor- 
tance from  the 
lumber  trade,  and 
its  notoriety  from 
the  robbery  o  f 
the  express  and 
mail  cars,  of  an 
overland  train. 

The  scenery  is 
now  becoming 
fine;  Crystal  Peak 
may  be  seen  on 
the  right,  and  win- 
ter  moonlight 
nights  will  add 
charms  to  make 
the  views  more 
lovely  and  unique 
between  this  point 
and  Truckee. 
Then  the  mount- 
ains, denuded  at 
their  base  of  all 
timber,  and  the 
shrubs  and  stumps 
buried  in  deep 
snow  are  of  un- 
fa r  o  k  e  n,  silvery 


white,  while  the 
lofty  pines,  farther  up  the  steep  sides  or  on  the 
rounding  tops,  form  a  veil  of  green,  and  above 
all  irregular,  fleecy  clouds  float  fantastically  by, 
as  if  a  silvery  mist  in  the  valleys  was  rising  over 
the  dark  peaks,  mingling  light  of  many  shades, 


SNOW  SHEDS  ACROSS  THE  SIERRAS. 


while  exulting  clouds,  glide  smoothly  and  silently 
along  the  azure  sky. 

The  Truckee  River  foams,  as  its  rapid  waters 
battle  with  the  rocks,  and  it  is  crossed  and  re- 
crossed  on  Howe  truss  bridges,  and  the  mount- 
ains, often  precipitous,  show  their  volcanic  origin 
in  masses  of  basaltic  rock. 

Essex, — 282  miles  from  San  Francisco,  is  a 
side  track  at  which  passenger  trains  do  not  stop. 
Bronco, — 273  miles  from  San  Francisco,  is 
a  meeting  place  for  trains  with  a  store  and  a 
summer  station-agent.  Soon  after  leaving  the 
station,  there  will  be  noticed  a  post  marked 
"  State  Line,"  standing  on  the  120th  merid- 
ian west  of  Washington  D.  C.,  and  this  passed, 

the  traveler  is  in 
the  Golden  State 
of  California. 

Between  Bronco 
and  Boca,  at  what 
was  Camp  18,  a 
flag  station  has 
just  been  located 
and  named  Dover. 
Boca, — a  tele- 
graph station,  is 
267  miles  from 
San  Francisco, 
with  a  population 
of  about  150.  It 
is  at  the  mouth  of 
the  Little  Truckee 
River,  and  is  the 
Spanish  name  for 
"mouth."  The 
only  business  is 
that  of  the  Boca 
Lumber  Mill  and 
Ice  Company,  and 
the  Boca  Brewery, 
the  latter  the  larg- 
est on  the  Pacific 
Coast,  and  on  ac- 
count of  the  equa- 
ble temperature, 
expected  to  pro- 
duce the  best  lager- 
beer  in  the  world. 
About  8,000  tonsof 
ice  are  cut  yearly 
from  the  pond. 
The  cold  is  some- 
times severely  felt, 
the  mercury 
standing  at  22°  be- 
lowzeroduringthe 
winter  of  1875-6. 
Prosser  Creek — is  265  miles  from  San  Fran- 
cisco at  the  mouth  of  a  creek  of  the  same  name, 
called  from  a  hotel  keeper  in  early  days.  It  is  a 
flag  station,  and  the  terminus  of  a  flume  for  sev- 
eral milling  stations,  and  the  ice-field  for  two 


225 


companies  that  supply  San  Francisco.     Continu- 
ing west  3.3  miles,  we  reach 

Proctor's, — 262  miles  from  San  Francisco, 
but  trains  do  not  stop.  On  the  left  will  be 
noticed  a  large  tract  of  flat  land  covered  with 
timber,  or  stumps,  and  a  rariche  or  two.  Across 
this  and  over  the  range  of  hills  beyond,  lies 
Lake  Tahoe,  but  keeping  to  the  river,  3.2  miles 
from  Proctor's,  we  reach 

Truckee, — 259  miles  from  San  Francisco, 
the  dividing  line  between  the  Truckee  and 
Sacramento  divisions  of  the  railroad,  with 
a  roundhouse  for  24  engines.  It  has  a  tri- 
weekly newspaper,  the  Republican,  and  is  the 
most  import- 
ant town  in 
the  Sierras,  on 
account  of  the 
business  done, 
as  a  summer 
resort,  and  be- 
cause of  its 
convenience  to 
other  favorite 
resorts.  It  is 
the  seat  of  a 
large  lumber 
trade,  and 
would  be  ben- 
efited by  the 
establishment 
of  an  exten- 
sive fire  insur- 
ance business. 
The  town  was 
burned  in 
1868,  1869, 
twice  in  1870, 
in  1874,  and 
"ChinaTown" 
in  1875. 

The  prevail- 
ing winds  are 
west,  and  in 
summer  one 
might  think 
the  great  width  of  the  street  is  designed  to  pre- 
vent fires  from  the  locomotive  sparks,  but  in 
winter  the  more  probable  suggestion  is  that 
it  is  for  the  convenience  of  piling  up  the  snow 
when  the  people  shovel  out  their  houses.  The 
population  is  about  1,500,  nearly  one-third  of 
which  are  Chinamen.  A  large  number  of  good 
stores  are  arranged  on  the  north  side  of  the 
street,  and  considerable  trade  carried  on  with 
Sierra  and  Pleasant  Valleys  on  the  north. 

Its  hotels  are  first-class — the  "  Truckee  Hotel," 
where  the  train  stops,  and  the  Cardwell  House 
across  the  wide  street  and  a  little  removed  from 
the  noise  of  passing  trains.  Many  desiring  the 
benefit  of  mountain  air,  and  the  convenience  of 
the  railroad,  spend  their  summer  months  in 

15 


GALLERY  IN  SNOW  SHEDS,  C.  P.  B.  B. 


Truckee,  from  which  Donner  Lake  is  distant 
only  two  miles,  and  Tahoe  12. 

Stages  leave  Truckee  on  Tuesdays,  Thursdays 
and  Saturdays  for  Randolph,  28  miles,  time  four 
hours,  and  fare  $4 ;  Sierraville,  29  miles,  time 
four  and  one-fourth  hours,  fare  $4 ;  Sierra  City, 
60  miles,  time  ten  hours,  fare  $8 ;  Downieville, 
72  miles,  time  twelve  hours,  fare  tf  10 ;  Jamison 
City,  55  miles,  time  ten  hours,  fare  $8,  and  Eu- 
reka Mills,  58  miles,  time  ten  and  one-half  hours, 
fare  $8.  On  Mondays, Wednesdays,  and  Fridays 
for  Loyalton,  30  miles,  time  five  hours,  fare  $4 ; 
Beckwith,  45  miles,  time  seven  and  one-half 
hours,  fare  $5. 

The  stages 
leaving  on 
Mondays, 
Wednesdays 
and  Fridays, 
are  also  the 
stages  for 
Webber  Lake, 
1 6  miles  north 
of  Truckee, 
and  Independ- 
ence  Lake, 
about  the 
same  distance. 
At  each  of 
these  is  a  good 
hotel. 

Webber 
Lake  is  about 
the  size  of 
Donner,  en- 
circled  by 
high,  s  n  o  w- 
capped  mount- 
ains, but  beau- 
tified by  a 
rim  of  fer- 
tile meadow 
around  its 
pebbly  beach. 
Card  well's 
stages  leave 
the  summit  daily,  passing  along  Donner  Lake  to 
Truckee,  thence  to  Tahoe  City  on  Lake  Tahoe. 
Fare  from  the  summit  to  Tahoe,  $2.50.  Truckee 
to  Tahoe,  $2 ;  John  F.  Moody,  of  the  Truckee 
Hotel,  also  runs  an  elegant  open  coach,  of  the  Kim- 
ball  Manufacturing  Company,  between  Truckee 
and  Tahoe  City,  daily,  fare  $2 ;  and  Campbell's 
stages  leave  every  morning  for  Campbell's  Hot 
Springs  on  Lake  Tahoe. 

Truckee  was  named  after  General  Fremont's 
old  Indian,  who  was  engaged  to  guide  the  un- 
fortunate Donner  party  across  the  Sierras.  It  is 
full  of  business  and  beauty  in  summer  and  win- 
ter. Here,  among  good  hotels,  is  the  best  place  in 
the  Sierras  to  be  snowed  in,  although  twice  as 
much  snow  may  be  seen  falling  at  the  summit. 


226 


A  Snow-Storm  at  Truckee. — At  mid- 
night, the  mountain  peaks  stood  clear  and  white, 
with  deep  shadows  here  and  there,  and  above,  a 
cloudless  sky  ;  but,  at  daylight,  a  foot  of  new 
snow  lay  upon  many  previous  snows. 

The  one-story  houses  were  hid  from  view. 
While  the  air  was  full  of  falling  flakes,  busy  men 
were  shoveling  off  the  roofs  of  their  dwellings — 
shoveling  all  the  while,  and  half  a  hundred 
Chinamen  were  loading  cars  with  snow  from  the 
railroad  track  to  throw  it  down  some  steep 
mountain  side.  Men  are  coming  in  with  their 
shoes  in  hand — not  number  thirteens,  but — thir- 
teen feet  long,  and  stand  them  up  against  the 
wall. 

These  snow- 
shoes  are  about 
six  inches  wide, 
turned  up  in 
front  like  the 
runner  of  a 
skate,  and  wax- 
ed to  make 
them  slip  easi- 
ly over  the 
snow.  Near  the 
middle  is  a 
leather  that 
laces  over  the 
instep  (a  skele- 
ton half -shoe), 
and  out  of 
which  the  foot 
will  slip  in  case 
of  a  fall  or  acci- 
dent. 

A  long  pole 
is  carried  like 
a  rope-dancer's 
to  preserve  a 
balance,  and  to 
straddle-and  sit 
upon  for  a 
brake,  when 
descend  ing  a 
hill.  They  are 
essential  to 
safety  in  these 
storms. 


MABY'S  LAKE,  MIRROR  VIEW. 


As  I  watched  the  falling  snow,  nothing  could 
exceed  the  beauty.  As  it  curled  and  shot 
through  the  air,  the  mountains  were  shut  out 
with  a  gauzy  veil  and  darker  mists.  Now  and 
then  I  caught  a  glimpse  of  a  clump  of  pines  on 
the  mountain  side,  indistinct  and  gray  in  shadow, 
and  as  the  fitful  snow  favored  the  straining  eye, 
the  long  white  boughs  seemed  bending  as  if  con- 
scious of  the  enormous  weight  that  threatened 
every  living  thing. 

When  the  clouds  broke  suddenly  away,  a  flood 
of  golden  light  leaped  from  hill  to  hill.  The  tall 
pines,  partly  green,  but  now  like  pyramids  of 


snow,  lift  their  heads  above  the  mountain  sides. 
But  in  less  than  fifteen  minutes  after  the  first 
sight  of  the  sun,  a  long  stratum  of  dark  cloud 
came  down  the  mountain,  and  the  snow  falls 
thicker  and  faster  than  ever.  Its  hard  crystals 
were  driven  so  furiously  as  to  make  one's  cheeks 
burn,  and  give  exquisite  torture  to  the  eyelids. 
I  looked  upon  the  rapid  river,  and  around  its 
snow-capped  rocks  the  water  played  in  foaming 
cascades. 

The  enormous  snow-plows  at  length  grappled 
with  this  monster  of  the  elements. 

From  east  and  west  came  reports  of  ava- 
lanches, snow  sheds  down,  trains  wrecked  and 
snow-bound,  and  soon  the  telegraph  refused  to 

do  its  bidding. 
The  ponder- 
ous engines 
were  thrown 
from  the  rails 
in  the  streets, 
before  our  eyes, 
by  the  hard 
crystals  .which 
they  crushed 
into  glacier-like 
ice.  With  five 
of  them  behind 
the  largest 
snow-plow  o  n 
the  road,  we 
started  toward 
the  summit. 
The  snow  flew 
and  even 
the  ground 
trembled,  and 
every  piece  of 
the  short  snow 
sheds  was  wel- 
comed with  joy 
and  misgiving. 
The  blinding 
snow,  I  thought, 
will  cease  to 
fly,  but  suppose 
that,  when 
crushed  into  ice 
like  granite,  it 
lifts  the  ponderous  plow  of  30  tons,  or  that  we  go 
crashing  into  the  shed  prostrate  beneath  twenty 
or  forty  feet  of  snow ;  or  that  an  avalanche  has 
come  down  and  our  way  lies  through  the  tangled 
trunks  of  these  huge  Sierra  pines ;  five  boilers 
behind  that  may  soon  be  on  top  of  us. 

Never  before  did  I  realize  the  need  of  the 
snow  sheds,  but  I  often  rebelled  against  the  shut- 
ting out  of  nature's  mountain  charms  from  the 
weary  or  unoccupied  traveler. 

Let  the  discontented  not  forget  that  five  feet 
of  snow  may  fall  in  one  day  ;  that  twenty  and 
thirty  feet  may  lie  all  over  the  ground  at  one 


227 


TUNNEL  NO.  12,  STRONG'S  CANON. 


time ;  that  forty  and  fifty  feet  are  sometimes  to 
be  seen,  where  the  road-bed  is  secure  beneath  it, 
and  that  the  canons  often  contain  a  hundred 
feet. 

These  capacious  reservoirs  are  the  pledge  of 
summer  fruitfulness.  A  winter  scene  in  these 
Sierras  without  even  the  sight  of  unfriendly 
bruin,  will  beget  a  fondness  for  the  snow  sheds 
that  the  summer  tourist  cannot  imagine,  and  a 
better  appreciation  of  the  boldness  and  daring 
of  the  men  who  brave  the  hardships  of  these 
mountain  storms,  and  peril  their  lives  at  every 
step  for  other's  safety.  Day  and  night  I  saw 
the  servants  of  the  public,  from  highest  to  low- 
est, haggard  and  worn,  yet  never  ceasing  in  their 
battle  against  the  tremendous  storm,  and  was 
overwhelmed  thinking  of  our  indebtedness  to 
their  energy,  skill  and  endurance,  as  well  as  by 
viewing  the  wonderful  works  of  God.  "The 
feeding  of  the  rivers  and  the  purifying  of  the 
winds  are  the  least  of  the  services  appointed  to 
the  hills.  To  fill  the  thirst  of  the  human  heart 
with  the  beauty  of  God's  working,  to  startle  its 
lethargy  with  the  deep  and  pure  agitation  of 
astonishment  are  their  higher  missions." 

Snow  Sheds. — The  snow  sheds,  so  important 


to  winter  travel,  are  found  east  of  Strong's  Canon 
Station,  and  west  of  Emigrant  Gap,  wherever 
there  is  no  side  hill,  and  the  removal  of  the  snow 
would  be  difficult  for  the  plow.  Between  these 
two  stations,  they  are  without  break,  except  for 
tunnels  and  bridges.  In  all,  there  are  about  40 
miles  of  the  sheds. 

They  are  of  two  kinds,  the  flat  roof,  built  to 
hold  the  weight  of  25  or  30  feet  of  snow,  or  slide 
it  down  the  mountain  side,  and  those  with  the 
pitched  or  steep  roof,  and  "  batter  brace."  The 
massiveness  of  the  huge  pine  trunks,  or  sawed 
timbers,  twelve  or  sixteen  inches  on  a  side,  may 
be  easily  seen  from  the  cars.  The  cost  per  mile 
varied  from  $8,000  to  $10,000,  and  where  it  was 
necessary  to  build  heavy  retaining  walls  of  ma- 
sonry, some  dry  and  some  cement  walls,  the  cost 
was  at  the  rate  of  $30,000  per  mile.  Sometimes 
the  heavy  square  timbers  are  bolted  to  the  solid 
ledge,  that  avalanches  may  be  carried  by,  and 
the  sheds  remain. 

At  a  distance  the  sheds  look  small,  but  they 
are  high  enough  to  insure  the  safety  of  break- 
men  who  pass  over  the  tops  of  the  freight  cars. 

During  the  summer  months  when  everything 
is  sun-scorched,  the  destruction  of  the  sheds  by 


228 


fire  is  often  imminent,  and  great  loss  has  been 
suffered  in  this  way.  .  To  prevent  fires,  the 
greatest  precaution  is  used,  and  the  most 
effective  measures  adopted  to  extinguish  a  con- 
flagration. At  short  intervals,  both  sides  and 
roof  are  of  corrugated  iron  to  stop  the  progress  of 
a  fire,  and  the  whole  line  from  Strong's  Canon  to 
Emigrant  Gap,  provided  with  automatic  fire- 
alarms,  telegraphing  the  place  of  danger,  and  at 
the  summit  is  a  train  with  tanks,  and  the  engine 
ready  to  become  instantly  a  well-equipped  fire- 
brigade. 

Near  Truckee  the  railroad  leaves  the  river 
which  turns  to  the  south,  and  it  follows  Donner 
Creek,  the  outlet  of  Donner  Lake,  for  a  short  dis- 
tance and  then  turns  up  the  great  and  magnifi- 
cent canon  of  Cold  Stream  Creek,  in  a  direction 
nearly  south-west.  Before  leaving  Donner 
Creek,  we  are  hard  by 

"  Starvation  Camp,"  where  in  the  winter  of 
1846-7  a  company  of  eighty-two  persons,  coming 
to  California,  were  overtaken  by  snow,  lost  their 
cattle,  and  were  reduced  to  such  straits  that 
many  survivors  fed  on  the  remains  of  their 
starved  companions.  The  company  comprised 
eighty-two  persons,  of  whom  thirty-two  were 
females,  a  large  proportion  of  the  whole  being 
children.  Thirty-six  perished,  of  whom  twenty- 
six  were  males.  Of  a  party  of  thirteen,  who 
went  out  for  help,  ten  perished.  Relief  was  sent 
to  the  company,  but  it  was  impossible  to  save 
all.  Mrs.  Donner,  when  the  alternative  was 
presented  her,  early  in  March,  of  leaving  her 
husband,  and  going  away  with  her  children,  or 
remaining  with  him  and  soon  perishing,  refused 
to  abandon  him,  and  when,  in  April,  the  spot 
was  visited  again,  his  body  was  found  carefully 
dressed  and  laid  out  by  her.  How  long  she  sur- 
vived him  is  not  known.  The  sufferings  of  this 
party  were  insignificant  in  amount  when  com- 
pared with  the  whole  aggregate  of  misery  en- 
dured in  the  early  peopling  of  California  by  the 
Overland,  the  Cape  Horn,  and  the  Panama  Route, 
but  no  other  tale  connected  with  these  early  days 
is  so  harrowing  in  its  details  as  this,  and  no  one 
thinking  of  Donner  Lake,  turns  from  its  quiet 
and  beauty,  to  think  of  this  tragedy  that  gave  it 
its  name,  without  a  shudder. 

The  old  road  across  the  mountains  to  Sutter's 
Fort,  followed  up  the  Cold  Stream,  where  snows 
no  longer  forbid  a  passage  across  the  dangerous 
summits. 

Along  and  rounding  this  Cold  Stream  Canon 
are  the  finest  views  on  the  eastern  side  of  the 
Sierras,  not  shut  out  by  snow  sheds  from  the 
traveler  by  rail.  The  canon  is  wide  and  long, 
and  far  above  and  across,  the  road-bed  is  cut  on 
the  steep  mountain  side,  and  then  protected  by 
long  snow  sheds  till  at  last  it  enters  tunnel  No.  13. 
Looking  up  the  canon,  on  the  right,  soon  after 
entering,  or  back,  after  the  Horse-Shoe  Curve 
has  been  made,  a  long  line  of  purple  pyramids 


and  jagged  precipices  surround  the  valley,  and  if 
the  road  is  not  at  the  bottom  of  everything,  the 
enormous  face  of  the  mountain  seems  to  forbid 
the  most  daring  attempt  to  ascend.  But  upward 
— still  looking  back  to  the  valley  of  the  Truckee 
far  below,  and  the  train  reaches 

Strong's  Canon, — 252  miles  from  San  Fran- 
cisco, which  is  a  side  track,  telegraph  office  and 
turn-table,  for  snow-plows,  principally.  Cold 
Stream  must  not  be  confounded  with  Strong's 
Canon,  for  the  latter  will  not  be  reached  till  the 
train  has  passed  half-way  along  the  lofty  wall  of 
Donner  Lake.  The  station  was  originally  at 
Strong's  Canon,  but  was  afterward  moved  to  tun- 
nel No.  13,  the  point  where  the  road  leaves  Cold 
Stream  Canon. 

Donner  Lake — the  gem  of  the  Sierras,  is  just 
below,  and  the  vigilant  eye  will  be  rewarded  by 
a  sight  of  it  through  the  observation  holes  in 
the  snow  sheds,  and  when  the  train  crosses  a 
bridge  in  doubling  Strong's  Canon.  After  leav- 
ing this  Canon,  the  road-bed  is  cut  out  of  rough, 
rugged,  granite  rocks  ;  and  before  the  summit  is 
reached,  it  has  passed  through  the  seventh  tun- 
nel from  Cold  Stream.  These  are  almost  indis- 
tinguishable from  the  sombre  snow  sheds,  and 
Nos.  11  and  12  and  likewise  7  and  8,  are  almost 
continuous.  The  longest  are  Nos.  13  and  6,  the 
former  870  feet,  and  the  latter,  1,659  feet,  and 
the  longest  on  the  line  of  the  road.  Emerging 
from  tunnel  No.  6,  the 

Summit, — 244  miles  from  San  Francisco,  is 
announced,  and  the  train  is  ready  to  descend 
rapidly  to  the  valley  of  the  Sacramento.  It  is  a 
day  and  night  telegraph  station,  and  has  an  alti- 
tude of  7,017  feet— 119.8  feet  above  Truckee— 
and  is  the  highest  point  on  the  line  of  the  road. 
Many  of  the  surrounding  peaks  are  two  and 
three  thousand  feet  higher. 

The  Summit  House  is  the  largest  hotel  along 
the  line  of  the  road,  accommodates  150  guests, 
and  is  one  of  the  most  popular  in  the  Sierras. 

One  who  lets  the  train  go  by,  to  climb  to 
the  top  of  the  ridge  through  which  the  tunnel 
leads,  or  some  higher  peak,  will  never  be  sorry, 
for  an  enchanting  panorama  will  be  unrolled. 

Summit  Valley,  with  its  bright  pastures,  and 
warm  with  life,  while  it  touches  bleak  rocks,  and 
receives  the  shade  of  the  inhospitable  pine  or 
the  drip  of  the  snow — one  of  the  loveliest  val- 
leys at  such  an  altitude — lies  toward  the  setting 
sun.  In  the  rim  that  shuts  out  the  south-west 
wind,  towers  the  Devil's  Peak,  a  bold  cliff  rising 
from  out  of  wild  surroundings ;  and  following 
the  ridge  eastward  with  the  eye,  and  around 
toward  the  point  of  vision,  there  are  prominent, 
Old  Man's  Peak,  just  across  the  valley,  sharp- 
ened by  the  wintry  storms  of  his  long  life,  and 
on  the  main  ridge,  Mount  Lincoln,  9,200  feet  high, 
and  Donner  Peak,  2,000  feet  above  the  railroad, 
and  3,200  above  the  lake  that  sleeps  in  quiet 
beauty  at  its  base;  and  across  the  railroad 


229 


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230 


the  peak  from  which  Bierstadt  sketched  the 
"  Gein "  beneath.  Then  there  are  a  thousand 
other  charms  in  the  vast  heights  above,  and 
vast  depths  below ;  in  contrasts  of  light  and 
shade,  form  and  color ;  in  mists  hanging  over 
the  lake,  and  clouds  clinging  to  the  peaks;  in 
the  twilight  deepening  into  darkness,  or  colossal 
pyres,  kindled  by  the  coming  sun,  and  going  out 
in  the  clear  light  of  the  day  ;  or,  in  the  gloom  of 
the  forest  mingled  with  the  living  silver  of  the 
moonlit  lake. 

The  peaks 
may  be  ascend- 
ed—  some  with 
difficulty,  and 
some  with  mod- 
erate exertion — 
but  persons  of 
feeble  constitu- 
tion may  enjoy 
all  the  varied 
charms. 

The  lake  is  of 
easy  access,  and 
has  on  its  banks 
a  hotel  for  tour- 
ists. The  dis- 
tance to  the  lake 
by  the  carriage 
road  is  2  1-2 
miles,  and 
Truckee  9  miles. 
The  summit  di- 
vides the  waters 
that  flow  east 
and  sink  amid 
desert  sands, 
from  those  that 
flow  west  into 
the  Sacramento 
river. 

Sum  mi  t 
Valley,— -2  1-2 
miles  long  and 
one  mile  wide, 
heads  in  the 
high  peaks, 
south  of  the  hotel.  It  has  pasturage  during  the 
summer  for  many  cattle,  and  its  springs  and 
abundance  of  products,  fresh  from  the  dairy, 
make  it  a  delightful  place  for  camping  out. 

Its  waters  are  the  source  of  the  South  Fork  of 
the  South  Yuba  River. 

The  railroad  descends  to  the  foot  of  this  val- 
ley, keeping  the  divide  on  the  north  to  the  right, 
then,  about  three  miles  from  the  summit,  crosses 
the  most  southerly  branch  of  the  Yuba.  A  few 
yards  before  the  crossing,  is  a  summer  flag  sta- 
tion, or 

_  Soda  Springs  Station. — These  springs  are 
situated  on  the  south  side  of  the  high  ridge  that 
forms  the  southern  wall  of  Summit  Valley,  and 


LAKE  ANGELINE. 


are  in  the  headwaters  of  the  American  River. 
They  are  numerous,  flow  abundantly,  and  are 
highly  medicinal.  Stages  run  to  them  both 
from  the  summit,  and  from  Soda  Station,  and 
the  ride  is  not  surpassed,  if  equaled,  by  any  in 
the  Sierras  north  of  Yosemite,  in  the  number 
and  beauty  of  the  fine  views  it  affords. 

The  hotel  at  the  Springs  is  not  an  imposing 
structure,  but  it  is  kept  in  first-class  style  and  is 
a  favorite  resort. 

The  dividing  ridge,  which  the  railroad  now 

follows,  is  on  the 
left,  and  on  the 
right  are  great 
ridges  and  can- 
ons, which  gath- 
er more  water 
for  the  Yuba. 
Their  extent 
alone  impresses 
the  beholder 
with  awe,  but 
the  snow  sheds 
allow  no  satis- 
factory view. 

The  first  reg- 
ular  station 
after  leaving  the 
summit  is  5.8 
miles  west, 
called 

Cascade,  — 
239  miles  from 
San  Francisco. 
The  vertical  de- 
scent from  the 
summit  to  this 
point  is  498  feet, 
and  nothing 
here  will  check 
one's  readiness 
to  descend  far- 
ther, for  it  is 
only  a  signal 
station,  and 
there  are  none 
to  signal,  ex- 
cept such  as  are  employed  on  the  road. 

South  of  the  station  are  Kidd's  Lakes,  empty- 
ing into  the  South  Branch  of  the  South  Yuba 
through  the  Upper  and  Lower  Cascade  Ravines. 
The  bridges  over  the  ravines  will  be  a  grateful 
but  short-lived  relief  from  the  restraint  of  the 
snow  sheds.  The  time  in  passing  is  too  short  to 
take  in  the  charms  of  the  water-falls  in  summer, 
or  the  ice-clad  rocks  in  winter,  and  the  extended 
view  on  the  right. 

Kidd's  Lakes  are  dammed  so  as  to  impound  the 
water  during  the  winter  and  spring,  and  when 
the  dry  season  approaches,  it  is  let  out  over  the 
Cascades  into  the  river  and  carried,  eventually,  to 
Dutch  Flat. 


231 


SCENERY  OF  THE  SIERRAS,  NEAR  SUMMIT. 


There  is  a  great  spur,  called  "  Crockers " 
thrown  out  in  this  ridge,  through  which  the 
road  passes  in  tunnel  No.  5,  and  thence  along 
Stanford  Bluffs  to 

Tamarack, — 235  miles  from  San  Francisco, 
another  signal  station.  A  stop  will  not  be 
likely,  unless  to  meet  or  pass  a  freight  train.  A 
small  saw-mill  is  in  operation  during  part  of  the 
year.  Just  below  Tamarack,  the  Yuba  has  worn 
a  large  gorge,  and  the  bold  bluffs,  which  unfor- 
tunately are  below  the  road-bed,  have  been  called 
"  New  Hampshire  Rocks,"  and  the  name  may 
well  suggest  that  the  Granite  State  will  soon 
cease  to  be  regarded  as  the  "  Switzerland  of 
America." 

The  road  continues  on  the  north  or  Yuba  side 
of  the  divide,  between  the  waters  of  the  Yuba 
and  American  Rivers ;  and  between  Tamarack 
and  Cisco,  Red  Spur  and  Trap  Spur  are  passed 
by  tunnels  No.  4  and  No.  3.  Three  and  a  half 
miles  from  Tamarack  is 

Cisco, — 231  miles  from  San  Francisco,  a  day 
and  night  telegraph  station,  with  an  elevation 
of  5,939  feet.  It  was  named  after  John  J.  Cisco, 
the  sterling,  assistant  treasurer  of  the  United 


States,  at  New  York  City,  during  the  late  civil 
war.  Cisco  was  for  a  year  and  a  half  the  ter- 
minus of  the  road,  and  lively  with  business  for 
the  construction  of  the  road,  and  for  Nevada. 
It  had  a  population  of  7,000,  and  some  dwellings 
erected  at  a  cost  of  $5,000  ;  large  warehouses,  and 
all  the  intensity  of  frontier  life.  After  the  re- 
moval of  the  terminus  to  Truckee,  the  deserted 
buildings  were  either  taken  down  and  removed 
or  went  fast  to  decay,  until  their  destruction  was 
hastened  by  a  fire  that  left  nothing  for  the 
morning  sun  to  rise  upon,  but  the  freight  house 
with  a  platform  1,000  feet  long,  standing  alone 
amid  the  ashes  and  surrounding  forests. 

From  Cisco  there  is  a  beautiful  view  on  the 
north,  with  Red  Mountain  in  the  distance. 
Just  back  of  Red  Mountain  is  the  Old  Man 
Mountain,  but  hid  from  view  until  the  train  de- 
scends a  few  miles  farther. 

To  detect  in  this  any  sharp  or  remote  outline 
of  the  human  profile,  wrought  in  colossal  propor- 
tion by  the  hand  that  moulded  and  chiseled  the 
infinite  shapes  of  nature,  is  probably  beyond 
the  keenness  of  any  Yankee. 

Leaving  Cisco,  the  railroad  continues  on  the 


233 


north  side  of  the  divide,  with  the  canons  of  the 
many  streams  that  form  the  Yuba  on  the  right, 
and  a  deep  valley  near  by  through  hard  por- 

S'lyry,  passing  Black  Butte  on  the  left,  crossing 
utte  Canon,  around  Hopkins'  Bluffs  and  Mil- 
ler's Bluffs,  eight  and  a  half  miles  to 

Emigrant  Gap, — 223  miles  from  San  Fran- 
cisco, another  day  and  night  telegraph  station,  is 
almost  one  vertical  mile  above  San  Francisco, 
the  altitude  being  5,221  feet.  Just  before 
reaching  this  station,  the  Yuba  turns  abruptly 
to  the  north,  and  just  west  of  the  turning  place, 
with  an  elevation  barely  perceptible  to  one  rush- 
ing by,  Bear  River  heads  in  a  valley  of  the 
same  name,  clothed  in  summer  with  a  delightful 
green.  At  Emigrant  Gap  the  divide  is  crossed 
by  means  of  a  tunnel,  and  the  old  Emigrant 
Road  crossed  the  Gap  here,  and  is  crossed  by 
the  railroad,  just  a  few  rods  west  of  the  tunnel. 
Here  the  old  emigrants  let  their  wagons  down 
the  steep  mountain  side  by  ropes,  with  which  a 
turn  or  two  were  taken  around  the  trees  at  the 
Gap.  How  much  better  are  iron  rails  than  rug- 
ged rocks,  and  atmospheric  brakes  than  treach- 
erous cords ! 

On  the  right  we  have  now  the  headwaters  of 
the  Bear  River,  but  of  the  valley  one  can  have 
only  a  glimpse  except  by  ascending  the  rocks 
above  the  railroad. 

Once  over  the  divide,  there  are  on  the  left,  the 
headwaters  of  a  branch  of  the  North  Fork  of  the 
American  River,  and  the  road  follows  Wilson's 
Ravine,  and  the  valley  of  the  same  name  is  in 
sight  for  some  distance.  A  number  of  little  ra- 
vines may  be  noticed  emptying  in  Wilson's,  the 
largest  of  which,  called  "  Sailor's,"  is  crossed 
where  the  road  doubles  Lost  Camp  Spur,  from 
which  one  may  look  across  the  ravine  and  see 
tunnel  No.  1  on  Grizzly  Hill,  and  continuing  he 
will  pass  along  and  around  Blue  Canon. 

Blue  Canon, — 217  miles  from  San  Fran- 
cisco, at  the  crossing  of  which,  5.2  miles  from 
Emigrant  Gap,  is  the  hotel,  a  store,  a  shipping 
point  for  six  saw-mills,  and  a  day  and  night 
telegraph  station.  The  elevation  is  now  4,693 
feet.  The  snow  sheds  are  unf requent  and  shorter, 
and  the  traveler  will  become  more  interested  in 
the  scenery  now  growing  most  wonderfully,  until 
it  becomes  the  grandest  on  the  line  of  the  road 
across  the  Continent. 

A  little  mining  is  carried  on  in  Blue  Canon, 
but  on  too  small  a  scale  to  interest  a  stranger. 

Blue  Canon  is  the  limit  of  the  snow  which 
remains  during  the  winter.  It  is  noted  for 
the  best  water  on  the  mountains  —  water 
so  esteemed  by  the  railroad  men  that  it  is  car- 
ried to  supply  their  shops  at  Rocklin  and 
Sacramento. 

Flumes  and  ditches  are  almost  constantly  in 
sight.  The  canon  grows  deep  rapidly  and  seems 
to  fall  away  from  the  railroad,  so  that  one  in- 
stinctively wonders  how  he  is  to  get  down  so  far. 


This  portion  of   the  railroad  has  the   steepest 
grade  on  the  whole  line — 116  feet  to  the  mile. 

China  Manche. — About  two  miles  west  of 
Blue  Canon,  a  side  track  is  passed  where  the 
close-tilling  Celestial  gardened  prior  to  and  at 
the  location  of  the  road — and  the  fact  lingers  in 
the  name,  China  Ranche.  Mountains  may  be 
seen  as  far  as  the  eye  can  reach.  After  passing 
the  ranche,  there  is  a  very  deep  cut  through 
Prospect  Hill,  the  name  suggesting  the  loss  of 
the  passenger  in  the  cut.  On  the  west  side  of 
Prospect  Hill  is  Little  Blue  Canon,  where  Shady 
Run,  a  pretty  little  creek,  is  seen  on  the  left.  It 
was  so  named  by  engineer  Guppy  at  the  time 
the  road  was  located,  in  honor  of  the  good  camp- 
ing ground  it  afforded. 

Shady  Run, — 212  miles  from  San  Fran- 
cisco, is  a  side  track,  but  not  even  a  flag-station, 
4.7  miles  from  Blue  Canon.  Near  it  the  railroad 
passes  around  Trail  Spur,  and,  on  the  left  is  one 
of  the  finest  views  on  the  line  of  the  road,  the 
junction  of  Blue  Canon  Creek  and  the  North 
Fork  of  the  American  River;  there  the  great 
chasm,  worn  by  glaciers  to  a  depth  of  about 
2,000  feet,  extending  a  mile  to  the  junction  of 
the  South  Branch,  the  precipitous  sides  narrow- 
ing to  the  water's  edge  and  forbidding  ascent 
even  on  foot,  through  the  narrow  gorge — and 
mountain  upon  mountain ,  back  toward  the  snow 
peaks  left  an  hour  and  a  half  ago — and  east- 
ward for  fifty  or  more  miles,  till  they  are  min- 
gled in  the  eye  as  the  stars  of  the  milky  way,  add 
to  the  impressiveness  of  the  view  which  is  en- 
chanced  by  its  suddenness. 

Just  west  of  Trail  Spur,  and  after  passing 
Serpentine  Ravine,  one  may  look  down  the  Great 
American  Canon  into  Green  Valley  and  Giant's 
Gap,  beyond.  The  view  is  sublime,  with  the 
bright  emerald  green  of  the  pastures ;  the  ter- 
raced and  rounded,  black,  gloomy  forests,  over- 
head, and  the  frowning  approach  of  the  majestic 
mountains,  stopped  where  the  icy  torrent  slowly 
rent  the  very  frame-work  of  the  Continent. 

For  a  time  the  tourist  will  be  compelled  to 
leave  the  main  slope  of  the  American  River  and 
be  carried  across  the  ridge  or  divide  at  Hog's 
Back,  across  Canon  Creek,  to 

Alta,—2Q8  miles  from  San  Francisco ;  3,607 
feet  elevation.  Here  are  several  stores  and  the 
center  of  considerable  lumber  trade.  Its  popu- 
lation does  not  exceed  a  hundred.  It  is  a  day 
telegraph  station,  4.8  miles  from  Shady  Run. 
At  one  time  soap-root,  a  bulb,  growing  like  the 
stub  of  a  coarse,  brown  mohair  switch,  just 
emerging  from  the  ground,  was  gathered  by  the 
Chinamen.  It  has  strong  alkaline  properties, 
and  is  used  for  washing  and  for  genuine  hair 
mattresses.  It  has  become  too  scarce  to  be  gath- 
ered here  with  profit  ,by  even  the  keen,  moon- 
eyed  Celestial. 

Below  Alta  we  strike  the  slope  of  Bear  River, 
and  on  this  water-shed  we  travel,  winding  among 


235 


hills,  until  we  near  Cape  Horn.  But  only  1.9 
miles  from  Alta,  we  arrive  at 

Dutch  Flat, — 206  miles  from  San  Francisco, 
our  approach  to  which  is  heralded  by  the  unmis- 
takable evidences  of  mining,  seen  in  the  up- 
turned face  of  the  country. 

The  water  that  came  down  in  advance  of  the 
cars  from  Summit  Valley  and  Kidd's  Lakes  is  now 
utilized.  It  was  gathered  from  the  East  Fork  of 
the  American  River,  from  Monumental  Canon  and 
Wilson's  Ravine,  and  carried  in  Bradley's  ditch 
around  Lost  Camp  Spur  and  emptied  into  Blue 
Canon,  near  Blue  Canon  Station,  and  taken  up 
again  at  the  station  and  carried  by  ditches  and 
flumes  to  Fort  Point,  where  the  railroad  crosses 
it,  and  soon  after  one  of  the  spurs  is  tunneled  in 
two  places  to  find  an  easy  grade,  but  it  cannot 
descend  safely  as  fast  as  the  cars,  and  at  Pros- 
pect Hill  passes  through  a  tunnel  100  feet  above 
the  railroad,  and  is  then  emptied  into  Canon 
Creek,  from  which  it  is  again  taken  up  and  dis- 
tributed by  flumes  or  great  iron  pipes  to  the 
mines  we  overlook  at  Dutch  Flat  and  Gold  Run. 
There  are  three  separate  ditches,  the  "  Cedar 
Creek,"  an  English  company,  bringing  water 
from  the  American  River  ;  the  "  Miner's  Mining 
and  Ditch  Company,"  with  water  from  Bear 
River,  and  the  "  Yuba  Ditch  Company."  The 
first  two  companies  own  and  work  mines,  and 
the  latter  derives  all  its  revenue  from  the  sale  of 
water.  For  hydraulic  mining,  this  is  one  of  the 
most  important  regions  in  the  State. 

Dutch  Flat,  or  German  Level,  has  an  altitude 
of  3,395  feet.  It  is  an  old  town,  the  mining 
having  begun  in  1851.  It  was  once  more  largely 
populated  than  now,  yet  it  boasts  1,500  inhab- 
itants. It  has  a  Methodist  and  a  Congregational 
Church,  and  the  finest  school-house  in  the  in- 
terior of  the  State.  It  has  a  tri-weekly  stage  to 
Nevada  City,  16  miles,  leaving  every  Monday, 
Wednesday  and  Friday  morning.  The  time  is 
three  hours  and  the  fare  $3.00.  The  route  passes 
through  the  towns  of  Little  York,  2  1-2  miles, 
You  Bet,  6  miles,  and  Red  Dog,  8  miles  from 
Dutch  Flat.  The  town  is  built  at  the  head  of 
Dutch  Flat  Canon,  and  is  very  irregular  and 
hilly.  It  has  good  stores,  hotels  and  restaurants, 
and  an  enterprising  semi-weekly  newspaper. 

Placer  Mining. — Where  the  earth-carrying 
gold  could  be  easily  dug,  and  water  was  of  ready 
access,  and  the  diggings  were  rich  enough,  the 
washing  out  was  done  by  hand,  and  this  form  of 
gold  hunting  was  called  placer  mining.  It  re- 
quired no  capital  except  the  simple  tools  and  im- 
plements used  in  digging  and  washing,  with  food 
enough  to  keep  one  till  some  return  from  labor 
could  be  obtained.  Several  hundred  million 
dollars  value  of  gold  were  thus  washed  out  of 
the  surface  soil  of  California  in  early  years.  Lit- 
tle ground  remains  that  can  be  made  to  pay  by 
this  process,  and  it  is  almost  a  thing  of  the  past. 
It  naturally  led,  however,  to  hydraulic  mining 


which  is  as  flourishing  as  ever,  and  promises 
to  continue  so  for  many  years.  Placer  miners 
came  occasionally  upon  ground  which,  though 
carrying  gold,  was  not  rich  enough  to  pay  if 
worked  by  hand,  but  would  pay  handsomely 
when  handled  on  a  large  scale.  The  device  was 
soon  adopted  of  providing  flumes  in  place  of 
cradles  and  rockers.  Into  these  flumes  a  stream 
was  turned  and  the  earth  shoveled  .in.  Large 
quantities  could  thus  be  washed  as  easily  as 
small  amounts  had  been  before. 

The  gold  in  each  case,  except  that  portion 
which  was  impalpably  fine,  and  would  even  float 
on  water,  was  detained  by  riffles  on  the  bottom 
of  the  rocker,  or  the  flume,  and  gathered  up  from 
time  to  time.  It  was  found  eventually  that 
large  banks  sometimes  hundreds  of  feet  high, 
were  rich  enough  in  gold  to  pay  for  working, 
and  the  device  was  next  adopted  of  directing  a 
stream  against  them  to  wash  them  down.  Stiff 
beds  of  cement  have  been  found  rich  in  gold, 
but  too  stiff  to  yield  to  any  except  a  mighty 
force.  Higher  heads  of  water  have  been  sought, 
until  even  500  feet  of  head  have  been  employed, 
the  usual  range  being  from  50  feet  to  300,  and  a 
force  obtained  which  nothing  can  resist.  Such 
a  stream  issuing  from  a  six-inch  nozzle,  comes 
out  as  solidto  the  touch  as  ice,  the  toughest  bed  of 
cement  crumbles  before  it,  and  boulders  weigh- 
ing tons  are  tossed  about  as  lightly  as  pebbles. 
A  man  struck  by  such  a  stream  would  never 
know  what  hurt  him.  The  strongest  iron  pipe 
is  required  to  carry  the  water  to  the  nozzle, 
through  which  it  is  played.  No  hose  can  be 
made  strong  enough  to  bear  the  pressure,  and 
the  directing  of  the  stream  to  the  point  desired 
is  effected  by  two  iron  jointed  pipes,  moving  in 
planes  at  right  angles  to  each  other,  and  thus 
securing  a  sweep  in  every  direction.  The 
amount  of  the  force  exerted  by  such  a  stream  as 
has  been  described,  it  is  impossible  to  estimate 
except  approximately,  but  1,300  pounds  to  the 
inch  is  not  too  high.  To  provide  the  water  re- 
quired where  "  hydraulicking  "  is  done  on  a  large 
scale,  streams  are  brought  long  distances. 

The  price  for  selling  water  is  graduated  by 
the  size  of  the  opening  through  which  it  is  de- 
livered, usually  under  six  inches  pressure.  Prac- 
tically it  is  found  that  there  is  in  California, 
more  gold  than  water,  for  there  are  many  places 
rich  in  gold,  which  cannot  be  worked  for  lack  of 
water. 

The  season  varies  in  length,  according  to  the 
situation  and  the  rain-fall,  but  nowhere  is  it  pos- 
sible to  work  the  whole  year,  and  probably  on  an 
average  the  active  season  does  not  exceed  seven 
or  eight  months.  There  is  one  feature  connected 
with  hydraulic  mining  which  no  one  can  contem- 
plate without  regret.  It  leaves  desolation  be- 
hind it  in  the  form  of  heaps  of  shapeless  gravel 
and  boulders,  which  must  lie  for  ages  before  blos- 
soming again  with  verdure.  One  of  the  difficult 


236 


GIANTS  GAP,  AMERICAN  RIVER  CANON. 

BY  THOMAS  MOBAN. 


237 


problems  in  hydraulicking  is  to  find  room  for  the 
debris  which  the  streams,  used  in  washing  down 
banks  of  earth,  are  constantly  carrying  along  with 
them.  The  beds  of  streams  have  been  filled  up 
in  some  parts  of  the  State  so  as  to  increase 
greatly  the  exposure  of  the  cultivated  regions  be- 
low the  mining  districts  to  inundation  and  ruin. 
Legislation  has  been  sought  by  the  farmers  to 
protect  their  interests,  but  the  effort  was  opposed 
by  the  miners  and  a  dead-lock  followed.  The 
muddiness  which  will  strike  the  tourist  as 
affecting  all  the  mountain  streams  on  the  west 
slope  of  the  Sierra  Nevadas,  is  the  result  of  this 
mining.  Once  the  Sacramento  River,  the  Feather 
and  the  American  Rivers  were  clear  as  crystal, 
but  the  hunt  for  gold  has  made  them  like  the 
Missouri  River  in  high  flood  and  even  muddier, 
and  they  are  not  likely,  while  this  generation  and 
the  next  are  on  the  stage  of  life,  to  resume  their 
former  clearness  and  purity. 

Gold  Run, — 204  miles  from  San  Francisco, 
another  mining  town  in  the  famous  Blue  Lode. 
It  is  a  day  telegraph  station,  with  an  altitude  of 
3,220  feet.  It  has  a  population  of  700,  with  a 
large  number  of  stores,  and  several  hotels.  A 
mile  west  of  Gold  Run  and  to  the  right,  across 
Bear  River,  may  be  seen  You  Bet,  Red  Dog, 
Little  York,  and  other  mining  towns  can  be 
pointed  out  from  the  cars  by  those  familiar  with 
the  country ;  but  Ophir  will  be  seen  by  every  one, 
looking  out  on  the  right-hand  side. 

A  farmer  from  Lancaster  or  Chester  County, 
Pa.,  would  not  be  impressed  with  the  worth  of 
the  country ;  but  the  lover  of  nature,  who  does 
hot  tire  of  the  variety  in  the  mountain  scenery, 
will  yet  feel  new  interest  in  the  signs  of  speed- 
ily emerging  into  an  open  and  cultivated  coun- 
try. Over  the  Bear  River  Canon,  on  the  right, 
may  be  traced  the  thin  outline  of  the  basin  of 
the  Sacramento  River,  and,  in  a  favorable  atmos- 
phere, the  Coast  Range  beyond  is  clearly  visible. 

Once,  all  the  ravines  in  this  vicinity  around 
it,  swarmed  with  miners.  "They  went  to  the 
land  of  Ophir  for  gold."  The  placer  mines 
were  very  rich,  and  covered  with  only  from  one 
to  three  feet  of  surface.  The  days  are  long  past, 
but  every  pioneer  has  fresh  recollections  of  them. 

«  Off  to  the  Mines."—"  Hallo,  Bill !  where 
are  you  off  to,  on  that  mule  ?  "  [The  boys  all 
call  him  Bill,  and  so  do  I,  but  his  name  is  Wil- 
liam Graves.]  "  Wa'al,  I  guess  I'll  go'n  prospect 
a  little, "  says  Bill,  as  he  and  his  mule  lazily 
trudge  down  the  canon.  I  have  known  Bill 
these  nine  years,  and  he  is  a  genuine  prospector. 
I  once  paid  him  and  a  "  pard  "  $5,000  in  twenty- 
dollar  gold  pieces  for  a  claim  they  had  worked 
on  a  while.  [The  "  pard "  is  not  an  "  honest 
miner"  any  longer,  but  edits  a  one-horse  paper 
in  a  little  place  out  in  the  desert.]  How  much 
Bill  got  of  the  $5,000  I  never  knew,  except  that 
it  did  not  long  keep  him  from  hard  fare,  camp- 
ing out,  cooking  and  washing  for  himself,  and 


every  once  in  a  while  finding  a  claim  to  work  on, 
locate,  praise  up  and  try  to  sell,  and  then  get 
sick  of  and  abandon.  1  would  like  to  know  how 
many  fortunes  in  which  his  fancy  and  confident 
belief  have  reveled,  have  vanished  and  been  for- 
gotten, like  dreams.  He  has  never  struck  it  rich 
since  he  made  his  sale  to  me,  and  I  fear  he  never 
will  again,  but  no  use  to  tell  him  so.  There  is 
the  "Belle  Boyden,"  on  which  he  is  keeping  up 
assessment  work,  hiring  out  for  a  while  to  earn 
something  ahead,  so  as  to  buy  grub  and  keep 
himself  going  for  a  few  weeks. 

It  would  be  cruel  to  call  him  back  now  and 
ask  him  about  it,  but  he  would  like  nothing  bet- 
ter, and  would  talk  about  its  dip,  and  the  rock  it 
lies  in,  and  how  much  it  looks  like  some  vein  or 
other  that  has  turned  out  well, — it  is  astonishing 
how  many  veins  run  in  his  head — and  how  many 
feet  there  are  in  the  claim,  and  what  he  values 
his  feet  at,  and  how  much  he  wouldn't  take  for  it, 
if  he  only  had  money  to  open  it,  till  he  and  I 
were  both  tired.  Bill  has  gone  through  too 
many  tight  squeezes,  and  seen  too  much  of  tough 
life  to  be  very  emotional,  but  get  him  going  on 
about  the  claim  that  he  now  holds  and  believes 
in,  and  his  eyes  brighten,  and  he  talks  with  unc- 
tion. He  is  tall  and  loosely  hung  together,  and 
to  hear  him  drawl  out  his  slow  speech  and  move 
draggingly  around,  one  would  not  think  he  could 
do  much,  but  give  him  a  pick,  a  drill,  and  a 
sledge-hammer,  and  set  him  to  running  a  drift,  or 
sinking  a  shaft,  and  not  many  will  beat  him. 
He  is  cute,  too.  When  I  bought  his  claim  he 
went  off  to  Frisco  and  New  York,  and  it  was 
rich  to  hear  him  tell  how  the  sharpers  of  all 
hues  and  colors  were  after  him,  thinking  they 
never  had  a  better  chance  at  a  greenhorn,  when 
they  were  never  worse  mistaken.  What  he  does 
not  know  about  holding  one's  own  in  a  game 
with  the  boys,  whether  it  be  at  cards  or  banter 
and  jokes,  is  not  worth  knowing.  He  is  honest 
and  kind — a  whole-souled  fellow,  true  as  steel, 
and  would  doubtless  take  a  fine  polish,  but  his 
prospect  is  small  of  ever  getting  it.  He  will  go 
on  walking  the  mountains,  camping  here  and 
there,  hunting  for  ledges  while  he  has  grub,  and 
working  when  he  has  not,  till  his  hard  life  tells 
on  him,  and  he  breaks  down,  and  it  is  sad  to 
know  that  then  he  will  go  quick.  Such  as  he  are 
the  men  that  prospect  the  country,  penetrating 
its  canons,  exploring  its  gulches,  climbing  over 
and  over  its  mountain  sides,  and  finding  the  out- 
croppings  of  its  mineral  treasures,  but  hardly 
ever  are  they  any  the  richer  for  it  themselves. 

Secret  Town, — and  Secret  Town  Ravine. 
There  is  a  side  track  but  it  is  not  now  a  station, 
and  the  high,  curved  trestle-work,  at  first  1,100 
feet  long  will  soon  be  entirely  replaced  by  the 
more  durable  embankment.  The  ravine  was 
named  from  its  early  history,  to  mark  the  efforts 
of  a  party,  to  conceal  their  discoveries  of  rich 
claims. 


238 


on  SSKifc"-" 


About  a  mile  and  half  below  Secret  Town, 
there  is  a  pretty  view,  where  the  railroad  is 
near  the  edge  of  the  side  hill,  and  the  deep 
ravine  falls  rapidly  away  to  the  American 
River. 

A  Chinese  Idea  of  Poker. — "What's  usee 
play  poker  ?  "  remarked  an  almond-eyed  denizen 
of  Tucson,  Nevada,  the  other  day.  "  Me  hold 
four  klings  and 
a  lace;  Melican 
man  hold  all 
same  time  four 
laces  and  a  kling; 
whole  we  ek 
wa shee  gon e 
like  e  wood  - 
bine." 

Cape  Horn 
Mills — is  a  side 
track,  at  which 
the  overland 
trains  stop 
signal,  but  the 
Virginia  City 
passenger  train 
will  not  stop.  It 
is  5.9  miles  from 
Gold  Run,  and 
not  far  from 
Cape  Horn.  Be- 
fore the  train 
"  doubles  "the 
point  or  Cape, 
Robber's  Ravine 
will  be  seen  on 
the  left,  deepen- 
ing into  the  great 
canon  of  the 
American  River. 

Cape  Horn. 
— Around  the 
Cape,  the  rail- 
road clings  to  the 
precipitous  bluff 
at  a  point  nearly 
2,000  feet  above 
the  river  and  far 
below  the  sum- 
mit, and  where 
the  first  foot-hold 
for  the  daring 
workman  on  the 
narrow  ledge 


SECEET  TOWN,  TRESTLE-WORK 

was  gained  by  men  who  were  let  down  with  ropes 
from  the  summit. 

When  the  Cape  is  rounded,  Rice's  Ravine  will 
be  on  the  left,  and  Colfax  seen  on  the  opposite 
side.  At  the  head  of  Rice's  Ravine  the  railroad 
crosses  by  trestle-work  1 13  feet  high  and  878  feet 
long,  on  the  summit  of  the  divide  between  Long's 
Ravine  and  Rice's  Ravine— the  waters  from 
Long's  going  first  northward  to  the  Bear  River, 


and  those  in  Rice's  Ravine  southward  into  the 
American.  At  the  foot  of  the  trestle-work,  and 
climbing  up  both  ravines  to  Colfax,  its  terminus, 
on  a  grade  of  113  feet  to  the  mile,  may  be  seen 
the  narrow  gauge  railroad  just  opened  to  Grass 
Valley  and  Nevada  City — the  former  16.74  and 
the  latter  22  1-2  miles  from  Colfax. 

At  the  bottom  of  the  deep  gorge  around  Cape 

Horn,  and  on  the 
mountain  side 
across  the  stu- 
pendous chasm, 
may  be  seen  the 
stage  road  to 
Iowa  Hill,  a 
mining  town 
across  the  river. 
The  railroad 
here  is  an 
achievement  of 
engineering 
skill,  genius  and 
daring  on  the 
part  of  its  bold 
projectors,  t  r  i  - 
umphing  over 
natural  wonders 
and  obstacles  of 
which  ever  to  be 
proud.  The 
view  is  magnifi- 
cent. N  o  o  n  e 
passing  can  af- 
ford to  miss  it, 
or  he  will  die 
poorer  and  worse 
for  the  loss.  Un- 
less it  be  the 
view  at  Giant's 
Gap,  there  is  no 
railroad  view  to 
surpass  it.  The 
wonderful  chasm 
is  almost  fright- 
ful to  behold. 
The  houses  and 
even  fields  in  the 
valley  beneath 
are  little  things, 
and  thebut- 
tresses  to  the 
deep  water-gate 
are  so  enormous 

that  large  canons  are  as  indistinct  as  the  lines  of 
masonry,  and  as  the  defying  mountains  open 
wild  galleries  back  among  the  higher  peaks,  the 
mountain  sculpture  grows  grander  and  grander 
until  the  rugged,  but  dimly  outlined  forms  stretch 
away  in  a  vast  sea  of  pine,  peak  and  snow, 


"  Though  inland  far  we  be." 
The  road-bed,  to  one  looking  down  is  appar- 


239 


ently  scooped  out  of  perpendicular  rock  and 
overhanging  the  great  abyss  ;  and,  to  one  looking 
up,  is  like  a  long  skein  of  gray  thread  wound 
around  the  cliff. 

Colfax  and  the  descending  railroad,  and  the 
less  pretentious  narrow  gauge  toiling  up  to  meet 
each  other,  are  clearly  seen  across  Rice's  Ravine. 

Skillful  Cookery. — Americans  who  dine 
with  the  Chinese,  are  surprised  at  the  perfection 
to  which  they  carry  their  cooking.  During  a 
recent  Chinese  banquet  in  San  Francisco,  an 
orange  was  laid  at  the  plate  of  each  guest.  The 
orange  itself  seemed  like  any  other  orange,  but 
on  being  cut  open,  was  found  to  contain  within 
the  rind  five  kinds  of  delicate  jellies.  One  was 
at  first  puzzled  to  explain  how  the  jellies  got  in, 
and  giving  up  that  train  of  reflection,  was  in  a 
worse  quandary  to  know  how  the  pulpy  part  of 
the  orange  got  out.  Colored  eggs  were  also 
served,  in  the  inside  of  which  were  found  nuts, 
jellies,  meats  and  confectionery.  When  one  of 
the  Americans  present,  asked  the  interpreter  to 
explain  this  legerdemain  of  cookery,  he  expanded 
his  mouth  in  a  hearty  laugh,  and  shook  his  head 
and  said,  " Melican  man  heap  smart;  why  he  not 
find  him  out  ?  " 

Moonlight  Scenery  of  the  Sierras. — 
Travelers  going  westward  have  often  the  pleas- 
ure of  a  delightful  ride  by  moonlight  across  the 
famous  scenes  of  the  Sierras.  Just  at  evening, 
when  the  sun  casts  its  last  glorious  rays  across 
the  mountains,  and  lights  up  the  peaks  and 
snowy  summits  with  splendor — the  train  arrives 
at  Cape  Horn,  and  the  thrill  of  interest  of  the 
excited  tourist,  will  never  be  forgotten.  Take  a 
good  look  from  the  point,  westward  down  the 
grand  canon  of  the  American  River.  Step 
toward  the  edge  of  the  cut,  and  look  down  the 
fearful  precipice,  which  is  often  broken  ere  it 
reaches  the  lowest  descent  of  2,000  feet.  It  is  a 
scene  more  famous  in  railroad  pleasure  travel, 
than  any  yet  known.  A  few  miles  beyond,  near 
Shady  Run,  there  suddenly  opens  on  the  gaze  of 
the  expectant  traveler,  just  before  the  sunlight 
has  quite  disappeared,  and  the  evening  shades 
come  on,  the  vision  of 

The  Great  American  Canon, — by  far 
the  finest  canon  of  the  entire  Pacific  Railroad. 
The  suddenness  of  approach,  and  the  grandeur 
of  scene  are  so  overpowering,  that  no  pen,  pic- 
ture or  language  can  give  to  it  adequate  descrip- 
tion. Two  thousand  feet  below,  flow  the  quiet 
waters  of  the  American  River.  Westward  is 
seen  the  chasm,  where  height  and  peak  and 
summit  hang  loftily  over  the  little  vale.  South- 
ward is  a  sea,  yea  an  ocean  of  mountains — and 
the  observer,  seemingly  upon  the  same  level,  is 
bewildered  at  the  immensity  of  Nature's  lavish 
display  of  mountain  wonders ;  night  comes  on, 
and  the  heights  catch  the  soft  light  of  the  moon, 
as  it  shines  and  twinkles  across  and  among  the 
tops  of  the  pines,  lighting  up  the  open  canons,  and 


rendering  still  more  deep  the  contrast  with  the 
shady  glens — the  snow  fields,  cold,  white  and 
chilling,  with  ever  changing  turns  of  the  rail- 
road, make  the  evening  ride,  beyond  a  doubt, 
the  most  pleasurable  that  ever  falls  to  the  lot  of 
the  sight-seer.  The  tourist  must  stay  up  long — 
see  for  yourself  all  the  beauties  of  the  Sierras, 
while  there  is  the  least  possible  light — Emigrant 
Gap,  Summit,  Donner  Lake,  Blue  Canon — all 
are  delightful,  and  the  lover  of  scene  pleasures 
must  not  forsake  his  window  or  the  platform,  till 
the  midnight  hour  finds  him  at  Truckee.  Trav- 
elers eastward  will  bear  in  mind  that  from  Cape 
Horn  to  Summit,  the  best  scenes  are  on  south 
side  of  the  train,  the  American  River  Canon  on 
the  right  hand,  or  south  side,  and  the  Bear  and 
the  Yuba  River  Valleys  on  the  north  side  ;  but 
from  the  Summit  the  scene  changes,  and  the  ob- 
server must  find  his  pleasures  on  the  north,  until 
he  reaches  Truckee. 

East  of  Truckee,  the  scene  is  again  renewed, 
and  the  river  and  best  views  are  mainly  on  the 
south. 

Colfax, — 193  miles  from  San  Francisco.  It 
was  named  in  honor  of  the  late  Vice-President, 
has  an  altitude  of  2,422  feet,  is  a  day  telegraph 
station,  and  the  breakfast  and  supper  station  for 
the  overland  trains.  Seventy-five  cents,  coin, 
are  charged  for  meals,  and  25  minutes  allowed 
for  eating  them. 

The  old  settlement  was  Illinoistown,  but  with 
the  opening  of  the  station,  the  old  town  was 
"  finished."  Colfax  has  a  population  of  700, 
two  churches,  Methodist  Episcopal,  and  Congre- 
gational, three  hotels  and  stores  to  indicate  that 
it  is  the  center  of  trade  for  a  population  of 
several  thousand. 

Stages  run  daily  to  Iowa  Hill,  eight  miles, 
time  one  and  one-half  hours,  fare  $2.50,  leaving 
on  arrival  of  the  trains  from  the  East. 

In  the  fall  of  1876,  a  new  road  will  be  completed, 
and  stages  be  run  to  Forest  Hill,  14  miles,  in  two 
and  one-half  hours.  The  fare  will  be  $2.50. 

Grass  Valley — is  16.74  miles  distant,  has  a 
population  of  7,000.  It  is  the  center  of  the  best 
gold  quartz  mining  region  of  the  State,  and  has 
the  largest  Protestant  Church  (Methodist  Epis- 
copal) in  the  Sierra  Mountains.  It  has  also  a 
Congregational  Church,  Roman  Catholic,  Epis- 
copal and  Christian  or  Campbellite.  Until  re- 
cently, it  had  two  banks,  but  at  present  has  none. 
It  is  the  center  of  large  lumber,  fruit  and  min- 
ing interests,  has  a  daily  paper,  the  "  Union," 
and  one  weekly,  the  "  Foothill  Tidings." 

This  city  as  well  as  Nevada,  is  reached  from 
Coif  ax-  by  the  narrow  gauge  railroad,  on  which 
two  trains  connect  daily  with  the  trains  of  the 
Central  Pacific.  The  fare  to  Grass  Valley  is 
$7.07,  and  to  Nevada  City  $2.25,  the  maximum 
allowed  by  the  law  of  the  State. 

Nevada — has  a  population  of  5,000,  and  is 
the  county-seat  of  Nevada  County.  The  people 


CAPE  HORN. 

1.— View  looking  down  the  American  River.    2.— View  of  Cape  Horn  and  American  River  Canon,  looking  East. 

3.— Point  of  Cape  Horn. 


241 


of  Truckee  are  compelled  to  attend  court  in  this 
city.  It  is  in  the  same  mining  region  as  Grass 
Valley,  and  was  for  many  years  the  largest  town 
in  the  mining  regions.  From  an  area  of  six 
miles,  not  less  than  $75,000,000  have  been  taken, 
and  $2,000,000  are  now  produced  annually.  Slight 
snows  fall  in  the  winter.  The  route  of  the  nar- 
row gauge  railroad  lies  through  the  valley  of  the 
Bear  River,  over  which  one  looks  in  descending 
the  Sierras.  At  the  crossing  of  Bear  River, 
where  it  joins  the  Elkhorn,  there  is  some  fine 
scenery,  and  although  in  the  distance  of  22  1-2 
miles  there  are  16  stopping  places,  there  are  no 
towns  or  villages  except  at  the  termini  and  at 
Grass  Valley.  San  Juan  North,  Comptonville, 
and  Downieville,  Sierraville,  Lake  City,  Bloom- 
field,  Moore's  Flat  and  Eureka  South,  and 
Marysville  are  all  connected  with  Grass  Valley 
or  Nevada  by  stage. 

In  passing  along  near  Colfax,  and  in  all  the 
foot  hills,  the  manzanita  is  seen,  but  the  bushes 
are  smaller  here  than  in  many  other  parts  of 
California.  It  is  a  queer  shrub,  and  like  the 
madrona  tree  does  not  shed  its  leaf,  but  sheds  its 
bark.  Its  small,  red  berry  ripens  in  the  fall  and 
is  gathered  and  eaten  by  the  Indians.  Crooked 
canes  made  from  its  wood  are  much  esteemed. 
The  bark  is  very  delicate  until  varnished  and 
dried,  and  great  care  should  be  taken  in  trans- 
porting them  when  first  cut. 

The  foot  hills  are  partly  covered  with  chapar- 
ral, a  low  evergreen  oak,  which,  in  early  days, 
afforded  hiding  places  for  Mexican  robbers,  and 
now  accommodates,  with  cheap  lodgings,  many  a 
"  road  agent  "  when  supplied  by  a  raid  on  Wells, 
Fargo  &  Go's  treasure  boxes  or  the  coin  and 
watches  of  stage-passengers.  White  blossoms 
load  the  air  with  fragrance  in  April  and  May. 

On  the  right,  the  valley  of  the  Sacramento  is 
coming  faster  into  sight,  and  the  Coast  Range 
growing  more  distinct.  The  next  station,  5.1 
miles  west  of  Colfax,  is 

New  England  Mitts, — at  the  west  end  of  a 
plateau  where  there  is  no  grade  for  three  miles. 
Lumbering  in  the  vicinity  has  declined,  and  the 
trains  do  not  stop.  The  roadway  continues  on 
the  south  side  of  the  divide  between  the  Bear 
and  American  rivers,  but  this  has  so  widened 
that  the  cars  seem  to  be  winding  around  among 
small  hills  far  away  from  either  river. 

Water  taken  from  Bear  River,  near  Colfax,  is 
quite  near  the  railroad,  on  the  right,  for  a  num- 
ber of  miles,  and  will  be  seen  crossing  over  at 
Clipper  Gap. 

Below  New  England  Mills  there  is  an  opening 
called  George's  Gap,  named  from  an  early  resi- 
dent, George  Giesendorfer,  and  farther  west  is 
Star  House  Gap,  called  from  an  old  hotel ;  then 
signs  of  farming  are  again  seen  in  Bahney's 
Ranche,  at  the  foot  of  Bahney's  Hill,  and  Wild- 
Cat  Ranche  farther  west,  where  Wild-Cat  Sum- 
mit is  crossed  by  a  tunnel  693  feet  long,  and 

16 


Clipper  Ravine  is  then  found  on  the  left-hand 
side. 

This  tunnel  was  made  in  1873,  to  straighten 
the  road,  and  the  ends  are  built  of  solid  ma- 
sonry. 

Across  Clipper  Gap  Ravine,  the  stage  road 
from  Auburn  to  Georgetown  may  be  seen  wind- 
ing up  the  mountain  side. 

About  half-way  between  New  England  Mills 
and  Clipper  Gap,  there  is  a  side  track  and  day 
telegraph  station,  called  Applegates,  for  the  run- 
ning of  trains  and  a  point  for  shipping  lime  ;  but 
passenger  trains  run,  without  stopping,  from 
Colfax  11 1-3  miles,  to 

Clipper  Gap, — 182  miles  from  San  Fran- 
cisco. The  few  buildings  have  a  store  and  a 
hotel  among  them.  It  was  the  terminus  of  the 
road  for  three  or  four  months,  and  then  a  lively 
place. 

Hare  and  mountain  quail  abound  in  these  foot 
hills.  The  latter  roost,  not  on  the  ground,  but 
in  trees,  never  utter  the  "  Bob  White,"  so  famil- 
iar to  sportsmen,  and  fly  swifter  than  the  east- 
ern quail. 

Aubtirn, — 175  miles  from  San  Francisco,  is 
a  day  telegraph  station,  6.6  miles  from  Clipper 
Gap,  with  an  elevation  of  1,360  feet. 

From  Auburn  Station  a  daily  stage  runs  22 
miles  to  Forest  Hill  on  arrival  of  the  train  from 
the  east,  fare  $4.00,  and  to  Michigan  Bluffs,  30 
miles,  fare  $6.00,  and  another  runs  daily,  except 
Sunday,  to  Greenwood,  16  miles,  fare  $2.50,  and 
Georgetown,  21  miles,  fare  $3.00,  Pilot  Hill,  11 
miles,  fare  $1.50,  Colma,  21  miles,  fare  $2.50,  and 
Placerville,  32  miles,  fare  $4.00.  Alabaster  Cave 
on  the  route  of  the  latter,  six  miles  from 
Auburn,  is  an  opening  in  a  limestone  formation, 
and  the  seat  of  the  kilns  in  which  the  best  lime 
of  California  is  made.  What  little  beauty  the 
cave  once  possessed  has  been  invaded  and  it  has 
now  no  attraction  for  the  tourist. 

The  town  of  Auburn  proper  is  situated  below 
the  station.  It  has  a  population  of  1,000,  two 
churches,  good  schools,  fine  orchards,  and  is  the 
county-seat  of  Placer  County.  It  is  one  of  the 
oldest  towns  in  the  State.  It  has  three  hotels, 
one  of  which  is  the  Railroad  House.  Many  of 
its  buildings  are  constructed  of  brick  or  stone, 
and  grapes  are  extensively  grown  in  the  vicinity, 
and  with  great  success.  The  Placer  Herald  is  a 
weekly  Democratic  paper,  and  the  Argus,  a 
weekly  Republican  paper. 

From  the  point  where  the  locomotive  stands, 
the  Sacramento  River  can  be  seen  on  the  left,  as 
also  from  other  points  as  the  train  continues 
westward.  Soon  after  leaving  the  station,  the 
railroad  crosses  Dutch  Ravine,  at  the  head  of 
which  is  Bloomer  Cut,  where  the  train  passes 
through  an  interesting  conglomerate,  showing  a 
well-exposed  strata  of  boulders,  sand  and  coarse 
gravel.  The  trestle  work  at  Newcastle  Gap 
Bridge  is  528  feet  long  and  60  feet  high. 


242 


A  VISION  OF  THE  GOLDEN  COUNTRY. 

BY  THOMAS  MOKAN. 


243 


As  the  train  nears  Newcastle,  the  Marysville 
Buttes,  rough,  ragged  peaks,  are  easily  discerned. 
They  are  about  12  miles  above  the  city  of 
Marysville,  and  the  town  near  the  railroad, 
but  clinging  to  a  side  hill  opposite,  is  the 
decayed  town  of  Ophir. 

From  the  trestle  work,  just  before  reaching 
and  also  after  passing  Newcastle,  there  are  fine 
panoramas  of 
the    Sacramento 
Valley,  on  both 
the   right   hand 
and    the    left. 
Mount      Diablo 
may  be  seen  on 
the  left. 

Newcastle, — 
170  miles  from 
San  Francisco, 
is  a  day  tele- 
graph station, 
five  miles  from 
Auburn,  956  feet 
above  the  sea. 
It  has  a  hotel  and 
several  stores, 
every  man  in 
the  place  a  Good 
Templar,  and 
some  promising 
quartz  mines  in 
the  vicinity.  It 
was  named  after 
an  old  resident 
and  hotel-keep- 
er called  Castle. 
An  earnest  of 
what  may  be 
seen  in  the  lovely 
valley,  that  has 
such  unlimited 
extent  before  the 
traveler,  may  be 
seen  in  a  flour- 
ishing  orange 
tree,  growing  in 
the  open  air,  in 
a  garden  only  a 
few  yards  from 
the  railroad 
track.  BLOOMER  CUT. 

Almost  evei-y  one  will  have  noticed  an  ever- 
green of  attractive  hue,  a  shrub  and  a  vine, 
always  trifoliated.  It  is  the  poison  oak  or 
poison  ivy,  and  unless  one  knows  that  he  can- 
not be  affected  by  it,  he  should  avoid  an  inti- 
mate acquaintance. 

Below  Newcastle  about  a  mile,  the  railroad 
leaves  Dutch  Ravine,  along  which  it  has  kept  its 
way  from  Auburn,  and  enters  Antelope  Ravine, 
by  which  it  descends  the  plain. 

Penryn — is  a  side  track   near  a  valuable 


granite  quarry.  The  rock  is  susceptible  of  a 
high  polish — probably  unsurpassed  in  the  State, 
and  was  used  for  building  the  dry  dock  of  the 
U.  S.  Navy  Yard,  at  Mare  Island,  and  other  pub- 
lic buildings.  In  summer,  200  men  are  employed 
in  the  quarries. 

Pino, — 164  miles  from  San  Francisco,  is  about 
where  the  limit  of  the  pines  is  found,  in  a  coun- 
try full  of  huge 
boulders,  with 
quarries  of  gran- 
ite,  slightly  soft- 
er than  that  of 
Penryn. 

RocMin — is 
162  miles  from 
San  Francisco, 
a  day  and  night 
telegraph  sta- 
tion, with  249 
feet  of  elevation, 
and  is  the  point 
at  which  east- 
bound  trains 
take  an  extra 
locomotive  to 
ascend  the 
mountain.  The 
roundhouse  of 
the  railroad  com- 
pany, with  28 
stalls,  situated 
here  is  a  most 
s  ub  s  t  antial 
structure,  made 
from  the  granite 
quarries  near 
the  station. 
From  these  quar- 
ries, many  of 
the  streets  of 
San  Francisco 
are  paved,  pub- 
lic and  private 
buildings  erect- 
ed, and  here 
were  cut  the  im- 
mense blocks 
used  for  the 
pavements  of  the 
Palace  Hotel. 


(Junction — is  157  miles  from  San  Francisco. 
It  is  a  day  telegraph  station,  and  163  feet  above 
the  sea.  The  town  is  called  Roseville,  in  honor 
of  the  belle  of  the  country  who  joined  an  excur- 
sion here  during  the  early  history  of  the  road, 
and  will  probably  be  known  as  Roseville  Junc- 
tion. 

Here  the  Oregon  division  of  the  Central  Pa- 
cific leaves  the  main  line.  On  the  left  may  be 
seen  the  abandoned  grade  of  a  road  that  was 
built  to  this  point  from  Folsom  on  the  American 


244 


River.  By  this  road,  Lincoln,  Wheatland,  Ma- 
rysville,  Chico,  Tehama,  Red  Bluff,  Redding,  and 
intermediate  points  are  reached.  One  hundred 
fifty-one  and  a  half  miles  have  been  built  from 
the  junction  northward.  Passengers  going  north 
may  use  their  tickets  to  San  Francisco  for  -pas- 
sage over  this  division,  and  at  Redding  take 
stage  for  Portland,  Or.  Four  miles  from  the 
Junction  is 

Antelope, — a  side  track  at  which  passenger 
trains  do  not  stop,  and  6.6  miles  farther  on,  a 
place  of  about  equal  importance  called 

Arcade.  — The  soil  is  light,  much  of  it  grav- 
elly, but  it  produces  considerable  grass,  and  an 
abundance  of  wild  flowers.  Prominent  among 
the  latter  are  the  Lupin  and  the  Eschscholtzia, 
or  California  Poppy.  The  long  fence  will  inter- 
est the  Eastern  farmer,  for  here  is  a  specimen  of 
a  Mexican  grant.  It  is  the  Norris  Ranche,  now 
owned  by  Messrs.  Haggin,  Tevis  and  others,  and 
nearly  ten  miles  long.  When  California  was 
first  settled,  these  plains  were  covered  with  tall, 
wild  oats,  sometimes  concealing  the  horseback 
rider,  and  wild  oats  are  now  seen  along  the  side  of 
the  track.  No  stop  is  made,  except  for  passing 
trains,  until  the  American  River  bridge  is 
reached. 

About  four  miles  from  Sacramento  we  reach 
the  American  River.  It  has  none  of  the  loveli- 
ness that  charmed  us  when  we  saw  it  winding 
along  the  mountains.  The  whole  river-bed  has 
filled  up,  and  in  summer,  when  the  water  is  al- 
most wholly  diverted  to  mining  camps  or  for 
irrigation,  it  seems  to  be  rather  a  swamp.  It  is 
approached  by  a  long  and  high  trestle  work. 
After  crossing  the  bridge,  on  the  right,  you  will 
notice  some  thrifty  vineyards  and  productive 
Chinese  gardens  in  the  rich  deposits  of  the  river. 
On  the  left  you  will  obtain  a  fine  view  of  the 
State  Capitol;  also  you  get  a  fine  view  of  the 
grounds  of  the  State  Agricultural  Society.  Its 
speed-track,  a  mile  in  length,  is  unexcelled. 
Its  advantages,  including  the  climate  of  the 
State,  make  it  the  best  training  track  in  the 
United  States.  It  was  here  that  Occident  trot- 
ted in  2.16  3-4,  and  is  said  to  have  made  a  record 
of  2.15  1-4  in  a  private  trial.  The  grand  stand 
was  erected  at  a  cost  of  $15,000. 

Should  you  pass  through  the  city  in  Septem- 
ber or  October,  do  not  fail  to  see  for  yourself  the 
Agricultural  Park  and  the  Pavilion,  and  test  the 
marvellous  stories  about  the  beets  and  the  pump- 
kins, and  secure  some  of  the  beautiful  and  de- 
licious fruit  that  is  grown  in  the  foot  hills. 

On  the  left  you  will  also  see  the  hospital  of 
the  Central  Pacific  Railroad.  It  contains  all 
modern  improvements  for  lighting,  heating,  ven- 
tilation and  drainage,  and  a  library  of  1,200 
volumes.  It  can  accommodate  200  patients,  and 
cost  the  company  $65,000.  Fifty  cents  a  month 
is  deducted  from  the  pay  of  all  employes  for 
maintaining  the  institution.  No  other  railroad 


has  made  such  generous  provision  for  its  faith- 
ful employes. 

Railroad  Works. — North  of  the  city  there 
was  a  sheet  of  water  known  as  "  Sutter's  Lake  " 
and  "  The  Slough,"  and  a  succession  of  high 
knolls.  The  lake  was  granted  to  the  city  by  the 
State,  and  to  the  railroad  company  by  the  city. 
Its  stagnant  waters  have  given  place,  at  great 
cost,  to  most  important  industries.  The  high 
knolls  have  been  levelled,  and  are  also  owned,  in 
part,  by  the  railroad  company.  Not  less  than  fifty 
acres  of  land  are  thus  made  useful  for  side  tracks 
and  fruitful  in  manufactures.  Six  and  a  half 
acres  of  it  are  covered  by  the  railroad  shops. 
Twelve  hundred  men  are  constantly  employed. 

These  are  the  chief  shops  of  the  railroad. 
Some  you  saw  at  Ogden,  Terrace,  Carlin, 
Wadsworth,  Truckee  and  Rocklin,  and  you 
will  find  others  at  Lathrop  and  Oakland  Point, 
and  at  Tulare  and  Caliente  on  the  Visalia 
Division.  At  Oakland  Point,  150  men  are  em- 
ployed, but  all  these  shops  and  even  those  of  the 
California  Pacific  Road  at  Vallejo  center  here. 
These  are  the  largest  and  best  shops  west  of  the 
Mississippi  River,  and  form  the  most  extensive 
manufacturing  industry  of  the  city. 

The  best  locomotives,  and  the  most  elegant  and 
comfortable  passenger  cars  on  the  coast  are  built, 
and  a  large  portion  of  the  repairs  for  the  whole 
road  is  done  here.  All  the  castings  of  iron  and 
brass,  and  every  fitting  of  freight  and  passenger 
cars,  except  the  goods  used  in  upholstering,  is 
here  produced ;  boilers  for  steamers  put  up,  the 
heaviest  engine  shafts  forged,  telegraph  instru- 
ments made,  silver  plating  done,  and  12,000 
car  wheels  made  every  month.  All  the  latest 
and  best  labor-saving  tools  and  machinery  used 
in  wood,  iron  and  brass  work  can  here  be  seen 
in  operation. 

The  capacity  of  the  shops  is  six  box-freight, 
and  six  flat  cars  per  day,  and  two  passenger,  and 
one  sleeping  car  per  month.  Twelve  years  ago, 
the  work  of  the  company  at  this  point,  was  all 
done  in  a  little  wooden  building  24  by  100  feet, 
and  with  less  men  than  there  are  now  build- 
ings or  departments. 

Last  year  a  million  r.nd  a  half  dollars  was  paid 
out  for  labor  in  these  shops  alone,  and  4,000  tons 
of  iron  consumed.  Some  of  the  buildings,  like 
the  roundhouse,  are  of  brick.  This  has  29  pits 
each  60  feet  long,  with  a  circumference  of  600 
feet.  Some  of  the  buildings  have  roofs  or  sides 
of  corrugated  iron.  Seven  large  under-ground 
tanks,  1,600  gallons  each,  are  used  for  oil  and 
2,000  gallons  of  coal  oil,  and  400  of  sperm  con- 
sumed every  month. 

In  connection  with  the  shops,  is  a  regularly 
organized  and  well-equipped  fire-brigade,  and  in 
two  minutes  the  water  of  two  steam  fire-engines 
can  be  directed  to  any  point  in  the  buildings. 

Soon  a  rolling  mill  will  be  erected,  and  upon 
the  location  but  lately  pestilential.  The  whole 


246 


coast  will  be  laid  under  further  tribute  to  these 
shops  for  the  facilities  of  travel  and  commerce. 

Just  before  entering  the  depot  you  will  cross 
the  track  of  the  California  Pacific  Railroad,  and 
see  the  Sacramento  River  on  the  right. 

Sacramento. — Trains  stop  twenty  minutes 
in  the  depot.  This  affords  ample  time  to  get 
a  lunch  at  the  Palace  Saloon  in  the  depot, 
or  to  visit  the  City  and  Capitol.  Take  one 
of  the  "free  busses"  for  the  Capitol,  Golden 
Eagle,  Grand  or  Orleans  Hotel,  all  first-class, 
comfortable  and  well  patronized;  or  the  street- 
cars will  convey  you  near  any  of  these.  They 
leave  the  depot  and  go  up  K  street — one  line 
to  Third,  along  Third  to  O,  along  O  to  Twenti- 
eth, and  along  Twentieth  to  P,  and  the  other 
line,  out  K  to  Tenth,  thence  to  H,  and  thence 
to  the  Agricultural  Park. 

The  population  of  the  city  is  about  20,000. 
The  streets  are  regularly  laid  out,  and  beginning 
at  the  river  or  depot,  with  Front  or  First,  are 
numbered  to  Thirty-first,  and  the  cross-streets 
are  lettered,  beginning  with  A  on  the  north  side 
of  the  city.  The  stores  are  chiefly  of  brick,  and 
residences  of  wood.  The  broad  streets  are 
shaded  by  trees  of  heavy  foliage,  the  elm,  wal- 
nut, poplar  and  sycamore  prevailing,  and  in  sum- 
mer are  almost  embowered  by  these  walls  of 
verdure,  that  are  ready  to  combat  the  spread  of 
fires.  It  is  a  city  of  beautiful  homes.  Lovely 
cottages  are  surrounded  by  flowers,  fruits  and 
vines,  while  some  of  the  most  elegant  mansions 
in  the  State  are  in  the  midst  of  grassy  lawns  or 
gardens  filled  with  the  rarest  flowers.  The 
orange,  fig,  lime  and  palm  flourish,  and  the  air  is 
often  laden  with  nature's  choice  perfumes.  It  is 
lighted  with  gas,  and  has  water  from  the  Sacra- 
mento River,  supplied  by  the  Holly  system.  Two 
million  gallons  are  pumped  up  daily. 

The  climate  is  warm  in  summer,  but  the  heat 
is  tempered  by  the  sea  breeze  which  ascends 
the  river,  and  the  nights  are  always  pleasantly 
cool.  Notwithstanding  its  swampy  surroundings 
and  the  luxuriance  of  its  semi-tropical  vegeta- 
tion, statistics  establish  the  fact  that  it  is  one  of 
the  healthiest  cities  in  the  State. 

Among  the  more  prominent  buildings  are  the 
Court-house,  Odd  Fellows',  Masonic,  Good  Tem- 
plars' and  Pioneer  Halls  ;  the  Christian  Brothers' 
College,  the  Churches,  Schools  and  the  Capitol. 
The  grammar  school  building  is  a  credit  to  the 
educational  structures  of  the  State,  and  attracts 
attention  from  visitors  second  only  to  the  Capitol. 

The  Pioneers  are  an  association  of  Califor- 
nians  who  arrived  prior  to  January,  1850.  Their 
hall  has  an  antiquarian  value — especially  in  a 
very  accurate  register  of  important  events  extend- 
ing back  to  A.  D.  1650.  "Another  association, 
the  Sons  of  the  Pioneers,  will  become  the  heirs 
of  these  valuable  archives,  and  perpetuate  the 
association.  Geographical  convenience  and  nat- 
ural advantages  have  given  to  the  city 


The  State  Capitol. —  This  is  the  most 
attractive  object  to  visitors.  It  cost  nearly 
$2,500,000.  It  stands  at  the  west  and  thrice  ter- 
raced end  of  a  beautiful  park  of  eight  blocks, 
extending  from  L  to  N  street,  and  from  Tenth 
to  Fourteenth  street.  Back  of  the  Capitol,  but 
within  the  limits  of  the  park  and  its  beautiful 
landscape  gardening,  are  the  State  Printing 
Office  and  the  State  Armory. 

The  main  entrance  to  the  Capitol  is  opposite 
M  street.  The  edifice  was  modeled  after  the 
old  Capitol  at  Washington  and  has  the  same 
massiveness,  combined  with  admirable  propor- 
tions, and  rare  architectural  perfection  and 
beauty.  Its  front  is  320  feet  and  height  80  feet, 
above  which  the  lofty  dome  rises  to  220  feet,  and 
is  then  surmounted  by  the  Temple  of  Liberty, 
and  Powers'  bronze  statue  of  California.  The 
lower  story  is  of  granite,  the  other  two  of 
brick. 

Ascending  by  granite  steps,  which  extend  80 
feet  across  the  front,  we  reach  the  portico  with 
ten  massive  columns.  Passing  through  this,  we 
stand  in  the  lofty  rotunda,  72  feet  in  diameter. 
The  chambers  and  galleries  are  finished  and  fur- 
nished in  richness  and  elegance  befitting  the 
Golden  State.  The  doors  are  of  walnut  and 
California  laurel,  massive  and  elegant.  The 
State  library  has  35,000  volumes.  The  great 
dome  is  of  iron,  supported  by  24  fluted  Corin- 
thian columns  and  24  pilasters.  Rising  above 
this  is  a  smaller  dome  supported  by  12  fluted 
Corinthian  pillars. 

The  beauty  of  the  whole  is  equaled  in  but 
few  of  the  public  buildings  in  the  country,  and 
the  California  laurel  with  its  high  polish  adds  no 
little  to  the  charm.  The  steps  leading  to  the  top 
of  the  outer  dome  are  easy,  except  for  persons  of 
delicate  health,  and  the  view  to  be  gained  on  a 
clear  day,  will  amply  repay  any  exertion.  The 
extended  landscape  is  incomparably  lovely. 
You  are  in  the  center  of  the  great  Sacramento 
Valley,  nearly  450  miles  long  by  40  wide,  where 
fertile  soil  and  pleasant  clime  have  contributed 
to  make  one  of  the  loveliest  pictures  to  be  seen 
from  any  capitol  in  the  world. 

Just  beneath  lies  a  city  with  many  beautiful 
residences,  half  concealed  in  the  luxuriant  ver- 
dure of  semi-tropical  trees.  Lovely  gardens 
enlarged  into  highly  cultivated  farms — then, 
wide  extended  plains,  on  which  feed  thousands 
of  cattle  and  sheep,  groves  of  evergreen  oak, 
long,  winding  rivers,  and  landlocked  bays,  white 
with  the  sails  of  commerce,  and  along  the  east- 
ern horizon  stretch  the  rugged  Sierras,  with 
their  lines  of  arid  foot  hills,  perpetual  verdure, 
and  snowy  summits,  shining  like  white  sum- 
mer clouds  in  a  clear  blue  sky. 

On  the  west  the  Coast  Range  limits  the  vision 
with  its  indistinct  and  hazy  lines,  out  of  which 
the  round  top  of  Mount  Diablo  is  quite  dis- 
tinct. Southward,  the  eye  takes  in  the  valley  of 


247 


the  San  Joaquin,  (pronounced,  Wah-keen),  with 
its  rapidly  populating  plains. 

In  1850,  a  fire  left  only  one  house  standing, 
where  are  now  21  of  the  principal  business 
blocks,  and  in  1854,  a  second  fire  nearly  de- 
stroyed the  city,  after  which  lumber  was  scarce 
at  f  500  a  thousand. 

In  the  winter  of  1851-2,  a  flood  covered  the 
whole  city,  and  led  to  the  construction  of  levees, 
which  were  afterward  enlarged.  Part  of  the 
city,  too,  was  raised  above  high-water  mark. 
Ten  years  later  a  flood  occurred,  with  from 
eight  to  ten  feet  of  water  in  all  the  parts  of  the 
city  not  raised,  and  flooding  the  first  stories  of 
all  houses  and  stores.  In  the  winter  of  1875-6, 
the  river  was  three  inches  higher  than  ever  be- 
fore known,  yet  the  city  was  perfectly  safe. 

As  a  distributing  point,  the  commercial  ad- 
vantages of  the  city  are  second  only  to  San 
Francisco.  Freight  by  the  Overland  route  is 
here  started  north  or  south.  Merchants  of  Ne- 
vada, Northern  California  and  Utah  secure  their 
freight  from  this  point  with  less  charges  and 
greater  despatch  than  from  San  Francisco,  and 
all  shipments  to  the  mountains  or  beyond,  must 
go  through  this  gate.  Fruit  from  the  foot  hills, 
of  choicer  flavor  than  that  grown  in  the  warmer 
valleys,  and  vegetables,  enormous  and  abundant, 
from  the  rich  alluvial  soil  of  the  rivers,  concen- 
trate here  to  supply  the  dwellers  from  the  Sierras 
eastward.  During  the  summer  of  1875  the  aver- 
age weekly  shipment,  of  fruit  alone,  to  the  East, 
was  400  tons. 

The  industries  that  already  give  the  city 
prominence,  and  not  directly  connected  with  the 
railroad,  are  more  than  can  be  mentioned. 
Among  them  are  the  Capital  Woolen  Mills,  sev- 
eral carriage,  wagon  and  furniture  factories, 
several  flouring-mills,  one  of  which,  the  Pioneer, 
is  the  largest  in  the  State,  with  capacity  for  pro- 
ducing 600  barrels  of  flour  and  950  tons  of  barley 
per  day,  boiler,  general  iron  and  brass  works. 
Wineries  are  permanently  established  and  pro- 
ductive. 

Beet  Sugar — is  manufactured  about  three 
miles  from  the  city.  The  works  were  erected  at 
a  cost  of  $275,000,  and  1,450  acres  of  land  are  in 
use  for  the  factory.  Ninety  tons  of  beets  can  be 
used,  per  day,  yielding  about  13  1-2  per  cent,  of 
saccharine  matter,  while  the  refuse  is  mixed 
with  other  feed  and  used  to  fatten  cattle. 

This  promises  to  become  one  of  the  chief  in- 
dustries of  California,  and  the  only  occasion 
where  the  descriptive  powers  of  Mr.  Nordhoff 
seem  to  have  failed  him,  was  in  the  presence 
of  the  machinery  of  the  Johnson  process  used  in 
this  manufacture. 

The  sugar-beet  does  not  grow  to  enormous 
size,  but  the  mangel-wurzel  continues  to  grow, 
summer  and  winter,  until  it  attains  enormous 
size.  Southern  California  is  said  to  have  pro- 
duced one  of  1,100  pounds,  and  a  farmer  of  So- 


County,  had  one  (not  considering  the  top), 
feet  above  the  ground.     We  believe  he 


noma 

three 

fenced  around  it,  lest  a  cow  should  get  inside  of 

it  and  eat  out  the  heart. 

The  city  has  a  paid  Fire  Department,  and 
five  newspapers — the  Daily  and  Weekly  Record- 
Union,  the  Daily  and  Weekly  Bee,  The  Sacramento 
Valley  Agriculturalist  (weekly),  Sacramento  Jour- 
nal (German  tri-weekly),  and  The  Weekly  Res- 
cue, the  organ  of  the  I.  O.  G.  T. 

Sacramento  is  also  an  important  railroad  cen- 
ter, second  only  to  San  Francisco.  Here  is  the 
practical  terminus  of  the  California  and  Oregon 
Railroad,  which  uses  the  main  track  of  the  Cen- 
tral Pacific  Railroad  to  Roseville,  and  is  com- 
pleted 170  miles  north,  to  Redding.  At  Redding, 
daily  stage  connection  is  made  for  Roseburg,  Or., 
275  miles,  and  thence,  by  the  Oregon  and  Cali- 
fornia Railroad,  200  miles  to  Portland.  Time, 
four  days  ;  Fare,  $55.00,  gold. 

The  California  Pacific  runs  to  Vallejo,  60 
miles,  at  the  head  of  San  Pablo  Bay,  immedi- 
ately north  of,  and  connected  with  San  Fran- 
cisco Bay.  At  Vallejo,  steamers  connect,  twice 
a  day,  for  San  Francisco.  The  whole  distance 
is  83  miles.  Davisville,  Woodland,  Knight's 
Landing,  Vacaville  and  the  Napa  Valley,  are 
reached  by  this  road. 

Here,  too,  is  the  terminus  of  the  Sacramento 
Valley  Railroad,  the  oldest  in  the  State.  The 
river,  also,  affords  a  pleasant  route,  either  to 
Northern  California,  or  to  San  Francisco. 

On  the  upper  Sacramento,  steamers  of  light 
draft  ascend  240  miles  to  Red  Bluff,  or  by  the 
Feather  River,  from  its  junction  with  the  Sacra- 
mento, 65  miles  to  Marysville,  at  the  confluence 
of  the  Yuba  and  Feather  Rivers. 

Below  the  city  an  active  trade  is  carried  on 
with  steamers  and  sloops.  The  California  Steam 
Navigation  Company  have  a  daily  line  of  steam- 
ers leaving  Sacramento  at  ten  o'clock  A.  M.,  and 
reaching  San  Francisco  about  six  p.  M.  The 
distance  is  108  miles.  The  river  does  not  pre- 
sent the  picturesque  scenery  of  the  Hudson,  but 
the  tourist  will  be  interested  at  every  point, 
whether  as  he  looks  out  over  the  rich  lands 
awaiting  reclamation,  or  the  thriving  villages 
and  fertile  fields  on  either  side,  or  the  islands 
well  protected  by  high  and  broad  levees.  The 
spacious  bays — Suisun,  San  Pablo,  and  San 
Francisco  —  afford  a  series  of  views,  in  which 
the  interest  is  like  a  good  novel,  increasing  to 
the  end.  Mount  Diablo  is  nearly  always  in 
view.  You  pass  the  United  States  Arsenal  at 
Benicia,  once  the  rival  of  San  Francisco,  and 
through  the  Straits  of  Carquinez.  The  United 
States  Navy  Yard,  on  Mare  Island,  overlooked  by 
the  town  of  Vallejo,  and  the  beauty  of  the  ap- 
proach to  San  Francisco,  noticed  more  at  length 
in  connection  with  the  California  Pacific  Rail- 
road, will  amply  compensate  for  the  difference  in 
time  between  the  all-rail  route  via  Stockton  and 


REPRESENTATIVE  MEN  OF  CALIFORNIA. 


1.— Senator  Sargent.    2.— R.  B.  Woodward.    3.— Senator  Sharon,  (Nevada.)    4.— D.  O.  Mills. 
5.— James  C.  Flood.    6.— W.  C.  Ralston.    7.— M.  S.  Latham.    8.— Gov.  Irwin. 


249 


the  river.  The  river-boats,  however,  are  not  run 
with  the  regularity  of  the  trains,  nor  are  they  as 
large  and  comfortable  as  they  were  a  few  years 
ago. 

Leaving  Sacramento  on  the  Central  Pacific 
Railroad,  formerly  the  Western  Pacific,  we 
reach 

Brigliton, — 134  miles  from  San  Francisco, 
where  the  Sacramento  Valley  Railroad  leaves 
the  main  track.  This  road  extends  to  Folsom, 
22  miles,  where  it  connects  with  the  Sacramento 
Valley  and  Placerville  Railroad,  to  Shingle 
Springs  26  miles,  whence  daily  stages  leave  for 
Placerville,  58  miles  from  Sacramento.  The  old 
town  of  Brighton  was  on  the  Sacramento  River 
opposite  the  present  station,  and  on  the  old 
Placerville  road. 

At  the  farm-houses  along  the  country  roads, 
you  notice  numerous  windmills,  of  various  sizes 
and  styles,  whirling  away  to  fill  reservoirs  for 
household  wants,  or  irrigate  the  vineyards  or 
orchards  and  gardens,  if  any  there  be.  They  are 
common  in  all  the  valleys  and  plains  of  Cali- 
fornia, and  numerous  in  the  cities.  The  sobri- 
quet of  Stockton  is  the  "  Windmill  City." 

About  California  farms  there  is  usually  no 
garden.  Perhaps  a  few  vegetables  are  raised 
during  the  winter.  In  some  localities  certain 
fruits  or  vegetables  do  not  grow  well,  and  the 
farmer  who  has  twenty  or  a  hundred  head  of 
horses,  before  his  gang-plows,  or  harvesting  his 
wheat  or  barley,  has  no  time  for  gardening  and 
prefers  to  depend  upon  the  daily  visits  of  the 
vegetable  wagon  as  well  as  the  butcher.  And 
among  our  cosmopolitan  people,  the  only  class  we 
lack  is  the  farming  women  of  the  Mohawk  Val- 
ley, or  the  Pennsylvania  Dutch. 

Florin  —  is  131  miles  from  San  Francisco, 
a  flag  station  —  side  track,  store  and  post-office. 
The  hard  pan  is  near  the  surface,  and  therefore 
but  little  moisture  retained  from  the  most 
copious  winter  rains.  Trees  cannot  send  down 
their  roots  until  this  hard  pan  is  broken  through 
for  them. 

Elk,  Grove, — 123  miles  from  San  Francisco. 
In  early  days  the  hunter  here  could  find  large 
game  without  visiting  Shasta,  Tulare  Lake  or 
the  mountains.  At  the  old  hotel  the  sign  of  the 
elk  horns  invited  the  traveler,  suggesting  him  a 
dish  that  even  then  was  seldom  seen.  Beyond, 
on  the  right  hand,  is  some  of  the  best  soil  in  the 
State  in  the  low  lands,  comprising  the  delta  of 
the  Sacramento,  Mokelumne  and  San  Joaquin 
Rivers.  There  are  Presbyterian  and  Methodist 
Episcopal  Churches  in  the  village. 

McConnell's, — 119  miles  from  San  Fran- 
cisco, on  the  banks  of  the  Cosumne  River,  a 
stream  like  all  others  in  California,  turbid  in 
winter,  and  an  empty  channel  in  summer. 

In  California  the  name  "ranche"  (a  contrac- 
tion of  the  Spanish  rancho,  which  is  primarily 
the  rude  lodging-place  of  herdsmen,  or  an  estab- 


lishment for  raising  horses  and  cattle),  has 
almost  superseded  the  "hacienda,"  or  farm.  Mc- 
Connell's Ranche  is,  however,  devoted  largely  to 
stock  raising,  and  on  it  are  kept  the  finest 
imported  thorough-bred  merino  sheep.  Sheep 
raising  is  among  the  most  profitable  pursuits  in 
the  State,  and  the  woolen  manufactures  of  Cali- 
fornia are  unequaled  in  whatever  line  they  have 
hitherto  sought  to  excel. 

Gait — is  112  miles  from  San  Francisco.  The 
Central  Pacific  Company  are  now  building  a 
branch  road  to  the  coal  mines  at  lone  City. 
Daily  stages  connect  Gait  and  lone,  Sutter 
Creek,  Jackson  and  Mokelumne  Hill,  and  dur- 
ing the  summer  proceed  to  the  Calaveras  Grove 
of  Big  Trees,  30  miles  from  Mokelumne  Hill. 

lone  City  —  is  in  a  prosperous  mining  and 
farming  region,  and  has  recently  received  new 
life  from  the  development  of  large  coal  fields. 

Sutter  Creek, — on  this  stage  route,  is  31 
miles  from  Gait,  and  ranks  next  to  Grass  Valley 
in  Nevada  County,  as  a  quartz  mining  locality. 
Here  is  the  famous  Amador  or  Hay  ward  Mine, 
where  the  excavations  are  now  made  several  hun- 
dred feet  below  the  level  of  the  sea.  It  has  been 
one  of  the  richest  mines  in  the  State,  and  pro- 
duces about  1700,000  annually.  With  irrigation, 
fruit  growing  and  agriculture  succeed  well. 

Jackson — was  formerly  rich  in  placer  mines, 
but  the  prosperous  mining  interests  of  today 
are  in  quartz.  The  soil  and  climate  combine  to 
produce  fruit  unexcelled  in  the  State,  and  large 
quantities  of  wine  and  brandy  are  made. 

Mokelumne  Hill — is  41  miles  from  Gait,  and 
was  the  county-seat  of  Calaveras  County  until 
1867.  It  was  one  of  the  earliest  mining  settle- 
ments. The  Gwin  and  other  quartz  mines  are 
now  successfully  worked.  This  route  to  the 
Big  Trees  is  traveled  but  little,  except  by  those 
who  desire  to  visit  the  towns  between  them  and 
Gait.  The  tourist  will,  undoubtedly,  proceed  to 
Stockton  or  Lathrop. 

A.campo, — only  a  flag  station. 

Lodi,- — formerly  called  Mokelumne.  A  daily 
stage  leaves  Lodi  at  2.20  P.  M.,  for  Mokelumne 
Hill,  37  miles  distant ;  fare  $5. 

Just  before  reaching  the  village,  the  Mokel- 
umne River  is  crossed.  Lodi  is  one  of  a  flour- 
ishing trio  of  villages. 

Woodbridge — is  2  miles  north-west,  and 

Lockford,—^  miles  north'.  This  is  one  of  the 
best  portions  of  the  great  valley,  across  which 
one  now  passes.  The  soil  is  a  rich  sandy  loam, 
producing  abundantly,  and  the  intelligent,  ener- 
getic people  are  surrounded  with  all  the  neces- 
sary appendages  of  first-class  farms.  The  ever- 
green trees  have  given  their  name  "  Live  Oaks" 
to  a  large  region  in  this  part  of  the  valley. 

Castle — is  97  miles  from  San  Francisco — a 
flag  station.  The  Calaveras  River  is  crossed  be- 
fore reaching  Stockton,  but  except  in  winter  is 
only  an  empty  channel.  On  either  side  of  the 


250 


road  will  be  seen  abundant  crops,  or  unmistak- 
able promise  of  them.  Much  of  the  land  is  so 
level  that  the  large  fields  of  100  or  more  acres 
can  be  completely  submerged  from  either  of 
their  sides. 

On  the  right,  entering  the  town  of  Stockton, 
stands  one  of  the 

Insane  Asylums — of  the  State.  The  other, 
recently  opened,  is  located  at  Napa.  The 
grounds  at  this  place  comprise  130  acres,  all 
under  a  high  state  of  cultivation.  There  are 
about  1,300  inmates.  The  first  building  passed 
is  the  largest  and  most  imposing,  has  every 
modern  convenience,  and  is  occupied  by  female 
inmates.  The  male  inmates  occupy  the  other 
buildings. 

Stockton — is  91  miles  from  San  Francisco, 
and  has  a  population  of  12,000.  It  is  23  feet 
above  the  sea,  and  the  county-seat  of  San  Joa- 
quin  County.  It  was  laid  out  in  1848  by  Captain 
Webber,  who  named  it  to  commemorate  Commo- 
dore Stockton's  part  in  the  conquest  of  Califor- 
nia. It  is  two  miles  from  the  San  Joaquin  River, 
at  the  head  of  Stockton  Slough,  which  is  navi- 
gable at  all  seasons  for  vessels  of  250  tons. 

The  heart  of  the  town  was  destroyed  by  fire 
in  1849  and  again  in  1851.  It  is  laid  out  with 
broad  streets  at  right  angles,  and  has  street-cars 
from  the  depot  to  the  principal  hotels  and  the 
Insane  Asylum.  "  Free  busses "  also  convey 
passengers  to  the  Yosemite,  Mansion,  Grand  or 
Central,  all  first-class  hotels.  The  city  was  once 
the  exclusive  base  of  supply  for  a  large  mining 
and  agricultural  trade  which  is  now  diverted,  yet 
the  development  of  the  country  has  caused  a 
steady  increase  of  its  volume  of  business.  It  is 
admirably  situated  to  control  the  trade  of  the 
whole  San  Joaquin  Valley,  but  needs  a  ship 
canal  that  will  enable  ocean  vessels  to  load  at  its 
wharves. 

The  water  supply  is  from  an  artesian  well, 
1,002  feet  deep,  flowing  300,000  gallons  of  pure 
water  daily,  the  water  rising  11  feet  above  the 
surface  of  the  ground.  The  city  is  lighted  with 
gas  and  has  an  efficient  volunteer  fire  department. 
Two  daily  and  weekly  papers,  the  Stockton  In- 
dependent and  Evening  Herald,  four  banks  and 
large  woolen,  leather,  wood,  iron  and  paper  fac- 
tories, wholesale  and  retail  stores,  and  an  exten- 
sive grain  business  are  the  foundations  and 
measures  of  the  prosperity  of  the  city.  The 
leather  tanned  here  is  considered  equal  to  the 
best  French,  and  commands  as  high  a  price. 

The  proximity  of  iron  and  coal  should  make 
this  city  the  Pittsburg  of  the  Pacific.  It  has 
fourteen  organized  churches,  some  of  which 
have  built  houses  of  worship — Roman  Catholics, 
Methodists,  North  and  South,  German  and  Col- 
ored, Episcopalians,  Congregationalists,  Baptists, 
white  and  colored  Christians  (Disciples),  and 
Jews.  Passing  in  the  cars,  nothing  is  seen  of 
the  better  residences,  of  which  there  are  many, 


provided  with  every  convenience  and  comfort. 
Excellent  public  and  private  schools  are  the 
boast  of  the  people,  for,  if  Californians  ever 
boast  (which  they  never  do),  they  do  not  forget 
to  speak  of  their  schools.  Masons,  Odd  Fellows, 
Red  Men,  Knights  of  Pythias,  Hibernians,  Pio- 
neers and  other  societies  represent  social  and  be- 
nevolent progress.  Near  the  depot,  on  the  left, 
may  be  seen  the  grounds  of  the  San  Joaquin 
Valley  Agricultural  Society. 

Heat. — The  city  has  the  best  climate  of  the  val- 
ley. The  hot  air  of  the  interior  is  usually  tem- 
pered by  the  sea  breeze,  and  the  nights  are  always 
cool.  The  hot  and  sickly  places  of  California  are 
never  reached  by  the  traveler.  In  Sacramento 
it  is  said  to  be  hot  in  Marysville,  and  in  Marys- 
ville,  one  is  referred  to  Oroville  for  heat,  and  in 
Stockton,  men  say  it  is  hot  at  Merced.  The  sim- 
ple fact  is  that  all  parts  of  the  Great  Central 
Basin  of  California  are  subject  to  occasional 
north  winds — the  dread,  at  once,  of  man  and 
beast.  They  usually  lull  at  night,  but  continue, 
at  least,  three  successive  days.  The  wind  hav- 
ing swept  over  hundreds  of  miles  of  dry  and 
scorching  plains,  breathes  as  from  a  furnace,  the 
mercury  marking  110°  to  120°  in  the  shade. 
One  may  fancy  himself  in  Egypt  or  Barbary, 
withered  and  fainting  under  blasts  from  the  Sa- 
hara Desert. 

The  origin  of  the  name,  California,  is  said  to 
be  from  two  Spanish  words,  "  caliente  fornalo," 
meaning  a  "  heated  furnace."  This  seems  plau- 
sible. The  extreme  dryness  of  the  climate,  how- 
ever, enables  men  and  animals  to  endure  this 
heat  surprisingly.  Sunstrokes  are  unknown. 
Rapid  evaporation  keeps  the  pores  open,  no 
perspiration  accumulates,  the  skin  is  dry  and  cool, 
and  a  heat  20  to  30  degrees  above  what  would 
mark  an  intensely  heated  term,  in  the  moister 
atmosphere  of  the  Eastern  States,  produces  little 
exhaustion  in  the  dry  atmosphere  of  this  central 
basin.  Horses  travel  frequently  50  to  60  miles  a 
day  without  injury,  the  thermometer  marking 
100°  or  over.  Stockton  has  not  yet  attained 
the  importance  as  a  railroad  center,  to  which  her 
position  entitles  her.  A  narrow  gauge  road  to 
lone  City  was  commenced,  but  there  is  no  pros- 
pect of  its  early  completion.  The  Stockton  and 
Copperopolis  Railroad  extends  easterly  into  Cala- 
veras  and  Stanislaus  Counties,  the  main  branch 
30  miles  to  Milton,  with  a  branch  at  Peters,  15 
miles  from  Stockton,  to  Oakdale,  34  miles  from 
Stockton. 

To  the  Big  Trees,  Calaveras  Group. — 
The  best  route  to  the  Calaveras  Grove  of  Big 
Trees  is  via  Stockton  and  Milton.  There  is 
another  grove  of  big  trees  at  Mariposa,  which  is 
best  reached  from  Lathrop  and  Merced.  The 
comparative  inducements  to  visit  one  or  the 
other,  will  be  stated  hereafter,  and  here  will  be  de- 
scribed only  the  route  from  Stockton  to  the  Cala- 
veras Grove.  Cars  leave  Stockton  at  12.35  p.  M., 


1.— Grizzly  Giant,  Mariposa  Grove.    2.— Three  Graces,  Calaveras  Group.    3.— Scenes  in  Mariposa  Grove. 
4.— Trunk  of  Big  Tree,  Mariposa  Grove.    5.— Natural  Arch,  Big  Tree,  Mariposa  Grove.    6.— Calaveras  Group,  Big  Trees. 


252 


for  Milton ;  stages  leave  Milton  at  2.45  p.  M.,  and 
reach  Murphy's  at  7  P.  M.,  where  the  first  night 
is  spent. 

The  Grove,  15  miles  from  Murphy's,  is  reached 
the  next  day  at  11  A.  M.,  and  those  who  desire 
can  leave  at  3  p.  M.  the  same  day,  and  return  to 
Murphy's  for  the  second  night.  On  the  following 
day  one  may  reach  San  Francisco,  or  go  to  Gar- 
rote,  45  miles  from  the  Yosemite  Valley.  To 
visit  the  Calaveras  Grove  and  Yosemite  Valley 
by  this  route  requires  145  miles  of  staging.  This 
route  to  the  Yosemite  Valley  via  Milton,  is  called 
the  Big  Oak  Flat,  or  Hutching's  Route,  the 
former  name  from  a  local  point  on  the  road,  and 
the  latter  after  the  man  who  in  past  years  did 
more  than  any  other  to  make  the  Yosemite  Valley 
known,  and  by  whose  untiring  energy  the  stage 
road  to  it  was  opened.  It  is  one  of  three  routes 
by  which  the  valley  is  reached  without  horseback 
riding.  It  is  the  shortest  route  from  Stockton  or 
San  Francisco,  but  it  requires  more  staging  than 
the  other  two.  To  go  directly  to  the  valley  by 
this  route,  one  leaves  Stockton  for  Milton  at  12.35 
p.  M.,  and  spends  the  night  at  Chinese  Camp,  23 
miles  from  Milton,  reaching  the  valley  the  second 
day  after,  at  2  p.  M.  For  the  other  three  routes 
to  the  valley,  see  Lathrop,  the  next  station.  The 
decision  whether  to  visit  the  Calaveras  or  the 
Mariposa  Grove  of  Big  Trees,  substantially  de- 
termines the  route  taken  to  and  from  the  valley. 
The  considerations  that  enter  into  this  decision 
are  as  follows  :  There  are  seven  known  groves 
of  big  trees.  Of  these  only  the  Calaveras  and 
Mariposa  have  accommodations  for  tourists,  are 
easily  accessible  and  convenient  to  other  points 
so  as  to  be  visited  in  comparatively  little  time 
and  without  large  expense.  It  is  true,  that  the 
Tuolumne  and  Merced  Groves  are  directly  on 
different  routes  to  the  valley,  but  the  number  of 
trees  in  these  is  small,  and  their  size  is  not  great. 
In  the  Tuolumne  there  are  but  ten,  the  largest 
only  24  feet  in  diameter.  In  both  the  Calaveras 
and  Mariposa  Groves  are  prostrate  trunks  one- 
sixth  larger  than  the  largest  living  trees,  which 
enable  one  to  realize,  as  cannot  be  done  by  look- 
ing at  and  walking  round  living  trees,  the  enor- 
mous size  of  these  forest  giants.  As  the  tourist 
will  probably  see  one  of  these  two  groves  it  may 
be  well  to  note  for  him  that 

In  the  In  the 
Calaveras  Grorc.    Mariposa  Grove. 

Number  of  trees                                   93  600 

Diameter  of  largest,  33  feet.  33  feet. 
Circumference  of  largest  living  tree, 

six  feet  above  the  ground,              61  feet.  90  feet. 
No.  of  living  trees  between  80  and 

90  feet  in  circumference,                 0  1 

No.  between  70  and  80  feet.                0  6 

No.  between  60  and  70  feet,               1  2 

The  largest  tree  yet  known  in  any  of  the 
groves  is  on  King's  River,  40  miles  from  Visalia, 
and  is  44  feet  in  diameter. 

The  Calaveras  Grove  was  the  first  discovered, 
the  first  opened  to  tourists,  has  been  long  and 


well  known,  has  a  first-class  hotel  directly  at  the 
edge  of  the  grove,  where  a  summer  vacation  may 
be  pleasantly  passed;  the  trees  all  the  while 
growing  on  the  visitor  in  size  and  beauty,  as  Ni- 
agara does  on  him  who  tarries  there. 

Private  teams  for  either  the  big  trees  or  the 
valley,  or  both,  may  be  had  at  Stockton,  Milton, 
or  Merced,  but  unless  one's  time  is  absolutely  un- 
limited, the  public  conveyance  is  to  be  chosen. 
By  relays  of  horses  these  hurry  one  over  the  dry 
plains,  and  once  in  the  midst  of  the  charming 
scenery  of  the  foot  hills,  one  can  tarry  at  pleasure. 

The  most  notable  trees  in  the  Calaveras  group 
are: 

The  Father  of  the  Forest,  which,  measures  435  feet  in 
length,  110  feet  in  circumferen.ee. 

Mother  of  the  Forest,— 321  feet  high,  90  feet  in  circumfer- 
ence. 

Hercules, 320  feet  high,  95  feet  circumference. 

Hermit, 318  feet  high,  60  feet  circumference. 

Pride  of  the  Forest,  .  276  feet  high,  60  feet  circumference. 
Three  Graces,  .  .  .  295  feet  high,  92  feet  circumference. 
Husband  and  Wife,  .  252  feet  high,  60  feet  circumference. 

Burnt  Tree 330  feet  long,  97  feet  circumference. 

"  Old  Maid,"  "  Old  Bachelor,"  "  Siamese  Twins,"  "  Mother 
and  Sons,"  "  Two  Guardians." 

Lathrop,  82.8  miles  from  San  Francisco,  is 
the  junction  of  the  San  Joaquin  Valley  Branch, 
or  "  Visalia  Division "  of  the  Central  Pacific. 
It  extends  from  Lathrop  to  Goshen.  147  miles, 
where  it  intersects  the  main  line  of 

Tlic  Southern  Pacific  Railroad 

as  it  crosses  the  head  of  the  San  Joaquin  or  Tu- 
lare  Valley.  A  branch  line  of  seven  miles  reaches 
Visalia.  From  Goshen  the  Southern  Pacific  is 
completed  north-westwardly  40  miles  to  Huron, 
and  South-eastwardly  to  Los  Angeles,  240  miles, 
and  to  Yuma  (Arizona)  490  miles,  with  branch 
lines  to  points  on  the  coast ;  but  there  is  still 
an  unfinished  gap  of  100  miles  between  Huron 
and  the  terminus  of  the  Northern  Division  at 
Tres  Pinos.  The  communication  with  all  the 
lines  south  of  Huron  is  made  via  Oakland  and 
the  Lathrop  and  Goshen  junctions,  until  such 
time  as  the  main  line  of  the  Southern  is  com- 
pleted directly  into  San  Francisco.  Through 
trains  daily,  Sundays  included,  from  San  Fran- 
cisco at  4  p.  m. ;  time  22  hours  to  Los  Angeles. 
Fare  $20.  For  further  description  of  Southern 
Pacific  Railroad,  see  page  278 

San  Joaquin  Valley. — This  great  valley 
has  the  Sierra  Nevada  on  the  east,  and  the  Coast 
Range  on  the  west,  is  about  250  miles  long,  and 
from  20  to  150  miles  wide.  The  area  is  25,000 
square  miles.  The  greater  portion  of  the  land  is 
a  sandy  loam,  easily  tilled.  There  are  but  few 
trees,  but  the  farmers  have  begun  to  plant  exten- 
sively. Frequent  patches  of  the  black,  tenacious, 
alluvial  soil,  called  adobe  are  found,  in  which  the 
sun  cracks,  visible  during  summer,  faintly  sug- 
gest earthquakes.  A  hundred  miles  of  wheat 
fields  may  be  seen  in  the  valley,  broken  only  by 
roads  and  fences. 


253 


This  immense  valley,  with  a  surrounding  belt 
of  timber  for  lumber  and  fuel,  coal,  iron,  and  the 
precious  metals  bordering  it,  adapted  for  grow- 
ing the  grains  and  fruits  of  two  zones,  is  des- 
tined to  have  a  teeming  population  and  fabulous 
wealth.  Irrigation  will  supply  the  lack  of  sum- 
mer rains  when  needed.  The  summer  tour- 
ist will  be  struck  with  the  absence  of  all 
sod,  and  long  for  the  refreshing  sight  of  it  once 
more.  As  it  exists  in  the  Eastern  States,  it  is 
unknown  in  California,  except  where  carefully 
nurtured.  The  beautiful  mantle  of  green  that 
covers  the  earth,  in  winter  and  spring,  is  here 
turned  to  hay  without  any  artificial  process. 
The  juices  of  the  grass  are  stored,  the  seeds 
ripened,  and  the  roots  die,  and  seeds  sprout 
again. 

Alfalfa,  a  species  of  clover  is,  however,  an  ex- 
ception. Its  roots,  sometimes  an  inch  in  di- 
ameter, penetrate  to  a  depth  of  12  or  more  feet, 
and  draw  moisture  from  unseen  springs.  Several 
crops  of  hay  may  be  cut  from  it  in  one  season, 
and  the  quantity  produced  from  an  acre  is  almost 
fabulous.  Ten  years  ago  not  a  head  of  wheat 
was  produced  in  Stanislaus  County,  one  of  the 
counties  of  this  valley,  and  now  it  is  the  chief 
wheat-producing  county  in  the  State. 

To  the  Yosemite. 

There  are  several  small  stations  between  Lath- 
rop  and  Merced.  Modesto,  at  the  crossing  of  the 
Tuolumne  River,  is  the  only  town  of  importance. 
It  is  surrounded  by  a  rich  agricultural  region, 
is  a  county-seat,  with  about  2,500  inhabitants, 
and  has  a  grain  warehouse,  owned  by  the 
railroad,  a  quarter  of  a  mile  in  length. 

Merced, — 57.3  miles  from  Lathrop,  illus- 
trates Californian  growth  and  progress.  The 
first  building  was  erected  in  1872,  and  in  two 
years  there  were  not  less  than  1,500  residents. 
The  railroad  company  have  erected  at  this  point, 
one  of  the  finest  and  most  commodious  hotels  in 
the  State  outside  of  San  Francisco.  There  are 
several  churches  and  a  number  of  public  build- 
ings, but  the  chief  importance  of  the  place  to 
the  tourist,  is  as  the  point  of  departure  of  stages 
for  the 

Yosemite  Valley. — There  are  two  "all 
wagon "  roads,  the  Mariposa  and  the  Coulter- 
ville.  Leaving  San  Francisco  after  business 
hours,  at  4  p.  M.;  Lathrop  at  8.15  P.M.;  one 
reaches  Merced  at  10.35  p.  M.,  and  passes  the 
night.  The  next  morning  there  is  a  stage  at  6 
A.  M.,  Coulterville  Route,  and  at  7  A.  M.,  by  the 
Mariposa.  There  will  be  12  hours  staging  on 
either  route,  and  one  will  then  be  ready  to  en- 
joy the  rest  of  the  mountain  stillness,  and  the 
refreshment  of  its  pure  cool  air. 

On  the  Mariposa  Route,  the  night  is  spent  at 
Clark's  Ranche,  only  five  miles  from  the  Mari- 
posa Grove  of  Big  Trees,  and  22  miles  from  the 
hotels  in  the  valley.  The  grove  may  be  visited  in 


the  morning,  and  the  same  day  at  1  p.  M.  one  may 
leave  for  the  valley  via  Inspiration  or  Glacier 
Point,  arriving  at  6  p.  M.  ;  but  this  is  too  much 
to  accomplish  satisfactorily  in  one  day,  and  the 
hour  of  arrival  in  the  valley  will  be  too  late  to 
enjoy  the  beauty  of  the  Bridal  Veil  Fall  when 
passing  it.  A  day  is  none  too  long  to  wander 
and  wonder  amid  the  Big  Trees.  It  is  wiser, 
therefore,  to  leave  Clark's  in  the  morning,  and 
reach  the  valley  about  2  p.  M. 

By  a  new  road  from  Clark's  to  Glacier  Point, 
it  is  possible  to  see  the  most  prominent  points 
of  interest  and  spend  only  one  night  in  the  val- 
ley. The  other  road,  entering  bf  Inspiration 
Point,  passes  the  Bridal  Yeil,  El  Capitan,  the 
Cathedral  Rocks  and  Spires,  the  Three  Brothers, 
and  Sentinel  Dome  to  one  of  the  hotels,  opposite 
the  Yosemite  Falls.  Having  taken  all  these 
points  of  interest  on  the  way,  one  may  make  an 
early  start  in  the  morning  to  Mirror  Lake,  Ver- 
nal and  Nevada  Falls,  Glacier  Point,  Sentinel 
Dome  and  back  to  Clark's,  and  next  day  return 
to  Merced.  Taking  this  route, in  four  days  from 
the  railroad  without  retracing  one's  steps,  the 
entire  length  of  the  valley  is  visited,  also  Mari- 
posa Grove.  One  has  looked  up  to  the  summit 
of  the  high,  towering  cliffs,  and  from  above 
gazed  down  into  the  deeply  eroded  ravine,  or  far 
away  at  the  high  Sierras,  listened  to  the  falling 
waters,  rambled  at  will  among  the  giants  of  the 
forest,  and  over  and  over  again  reveled  in  looking 
into  the  pure  depths  of  the  purest  mountain 
atmosphere. 

No  improvement  on  this  route  is  possible. 
Every  minute  of  time  is  delightfully  occupied  to 
the  best  advantage.  One  may,  and  should,  if 
possible,  linger  in  the  valley  to  visit  the  South 
Dome,  the  Cloud's  Rest,  the  foot  of  the  Upper 
Yosemite,  and  take  in  gradually  the  growing 
wonders  of  the  place.  It  will  pay  well  to  go 
twice,  or  more,  over  the  same  ground ;  or  at  least 
from  Sentinel  Dome  one  may  descend  again  to 
the  hotels  in  the  valley,  and  thence  leave  it  by 
either  of  the  three  routes. 

By  the  Coulterville  Route,  after  leaving  Merced 
in  the  morning  and  passing  through  the  towns  of 
Snelling  and  Coulterville,  Dudley's  Ranche  is 
reached  for  the  first  night.  The  valley  is  reached 
next  day  at  5  p.  M.  ;  passing  into  it  along  the 
foaming  river,  as  it  rushes  out  the  narrow  canon 
below  the  valley  proper,  the  Bridal  Veil  is  on  the 
opposite  side  of  the  river,  but  too  distant  to  see 
its  rainbow,  or  appreciate  its  peculiar  charms. 

El  Capitan,  and  all  other  features  of  interest 
spoken  of  on  the  Mariposa  Route,  are  also  passed. 
By  this  Coulterville  Route,  Bower's  Cave  is 
passed,  and  a  fine  view  is  obtained  from  Pilot 
Peak.  The  cave  is  an  immense  and  picturesque 
crack  or  sink  in  the  solid  limestone  of  the  mount- 
ain top,  into  which  one  may  descend  to  an  irreg- 
ular bottom  about  a  hundred  feet  square,  in  one 
corner  of  which  is  a  small  and  beautiful  lake. 


SCENES  IN  THE  YOSEMITE  VALLEY. 
1.— Bridal  Veil  Fall.    2.— Mirror  Lak«. 


255 


By  both  routes  Merced  is  reached  at  night  on  the 
fourth  day  after  leaving  for  the  valley,  or  later 
according  to  the  time  spent  there.  The  cars 
leave  at  6  A.  M.,  for  Lathrop. 

We  distinctly  advise  travelers  not  to  return 
the  same  way  as  they  entered  the  valley,  but 
always  choose  a  different  route.  Likewise  in 
horseback  rides,  always  return  to  the  valley  from 
Glacier  Point,  or  other  points,  and  from  there 
take  the  stage.  There  are  three  good  hotels  in 
the  Yosemite,  Black's,  Leidig's  and  Walsh  & 
Coulter's,  all  which  are  comfortable.  Board, 
$3.50  gold  per  day. 

Expenses. — The  expense  of  a  trip  to  the 
Yosemite  will  be  as  follows :  Railroad  fare  to 
Merced  and  return,  $15 ;  board  one  week,  at  $3.50 
gold,  $24.50;  stage  fare  Merced  to  valley  and 
returning  by  different  routes,  say  $40 ;  horses  and 
guides,  say  4  days,  $3  per  day,  $12.  Total,  $91.50. 

As  to  the  merits  of  the  different  stage  routes, 
we  can  only  say  that  it  is  preferable  to  enter  the 
Yosemite  via  Inspiration  Point,  Mariposa  and 
Clark's ;  especially  in  hot  days,  this  route  has 
most  shade.  The  stage  route  from  Milton  is  the 
longest.  Parties  with  ladies  will  find  it  desirable 
to  enter  via  Mariposa  and  return  via  Coulterville. 
Of  the  Yosemite  hotels,  Leidig's  is  reputed  to 
furnish  the  best  table  and  eating,  Black's  best 
rooms,  and  Walsh  &  Coulter's  the  best  location 
near  Yosemite  Falls.  The  best  season  for  visit- 
ing Yosemite  is  from  May  1st  to  July  15.  Later 
than  this  the  falls  will  be  dry,  or  have  but  slight 
volume  of  water. 

Tickets  for  the  Yosemite,  by  any  route,  or  to 
go  by  one  and  return  by  another,  may  be  had  at 
Lathrop,  or  at  4  New  Montgomery  street,  San 
Francisco. 

San  Joaquin  Bridge, — 79  miles  from  San 
Francisco,  is  a  station  at  the  railroad  crossing  of 
the  San  Joaquin  River.  The  channel  is  on  the 
west  side,  and  in  high  water  the  country  is  over- 
flowed for  miles  up  and  down  the  river,  reaching 
back  from  it  almost  to  Bantas,  the  next  station. 

Bantas, — 74  miles  from  San  Francisco,  and 
30  feet  above  tide-water,  is  named  for  an  old 
family  resident  here.  Stages  leave  at  10.50  A. 
M.,  for  San  Joaquin  City,  10  miles,  Grayson,  20 
miles,  Mahoney's,  35  miles,  and  Hill's  Ferry,  40 
miles.  Through  fare,  $3.50.  About  midway 
between  this  and  the  next  station,  a  railroad  has 
been  commenced  to  run  to  Oakland  via  Antioch, 
Martinez,  San  Pablo  and  Berkley",  thus  avoiding 
the  heavy  grades  of  the  Coast  Range.  To  the 
right  of  Bantas,  down  the  San  Joaquin  River,  or 
the  branch  called  "  Old  River  "  is  a  vast  extent 
of  lowland,  overflowed  in  June,  by  the  melting 
snows  of  the  Sierra  Nevadas,  and  during  most 
of  the  rainy  season. 

After  the  water  passes  off,  flowers  spring  up, 
and  the  button  willow  blooms,  affording  excel- 
lent bee-pasture.  From  the  first  of  July  to  the 
first  of  November,  a  single  swarm  of  bees  will 


often  gather  100  Ibs.  of  honey.  Those  who  take 
care  of  the  bees  also  take  quinine  with  the 
honey  to  cure  the  "  chills."  This  is  believed  to 
be  the  extent  of  their  acquaintance  with  "  Bit- 
ter-sweet." Hundreds  of  acres  of  floating  land 
here  rise  and  fall  with  the  water. 

Ellis, — 69  miles  from  San  Francisco,  and  76 
feet  elevation,  another  village  which  bustles  in 
the  midst  of  vast  wheat  fields,  during  seasons 
following  a  wet  winter,  and  sleeps  under  vast 
disappointments  during  other  years. 

This  "  West  Side  "  of  the  San  Joaquin  River, 
was  supposed,  for  many  years,  to  be  worthless. 
The  old  Spaniards  left  it  out  of  their  ranches 
except  when  a  few  square  miles  or  leagues  were 
taken  in  for  the  sake  of  securing  a  convenient 
"  loma "  as  a  landmark.  In  1849-50,  as  the 
gold-digger  urged  his  mule,  well  laden  with 
tent,  bedding,  pan  and  rocker,  and  three 
months'  provisions,  his  heart  full  of  expectation 
of  a  "  pile  "  to  be  speedily  dug  from  the  placers 
of  the  "  Southern  Mines,"  his  eyes  were  often 
gladdened  by  a  lake  of  bright  water  near  the 
"  trail "  only  a  mile  ahead.  He  saw  white  sails, 
waves  chasing  each  other,  and  trees  on  the  shores 
reflected  from  their  bosom.  Pie  expected  soon 
to  camp  in  the  grateful  shade,  and  slake  his 
burning  thirst  with  the  cool  water.  The  white 
sails  bounded  away,  antelope-like,  across  the 
burning  plains,  for  alas  !  it  was  only  a  mirage — 
an  emblem  of  his  expected  wealth.  Even  now 
many  are  deluded  in  seeing  the  distant  water 
and  green  trees  beyond. 

The  soil  of  this  once  desert  region,  now  pro- 
duces the  best  of  wheat,  when  the  rains  are 
abundant,  but  from  its  peculiar  position  on  the 
north-east  of  the  Coast  Range,  the  necessary 
rain  is  often  wanting.  A  local  adage  is  "  every 
seven  years  a  crop  " — worse  than  ancient  Egypt's 
famine.  But  the  land-owners  are  moving  to 
construct  a  ditch  60  feet  wide  and  300  miles 
long,  to  irrigate  the  entire  valley  on  the  west 
side  of  the  river,  and  serve  for  transporting  the 
produce  to  the  tide-water  of  Suisun  Bay.  Once 
accomplished  this  almost  desert  land,  will  easily 
support  a  population  of  3,000,000. 

Fourteen  miles  south-west  from  this  station  is 
Corral  Hollow  or  Pass,  in  the  mountain  range,  at 
the  head  of  which  are  extensive  coal  mines,  to- 
ward which  a  branch  railroad  extends  five  miles. 
Here  an  extra  engine  is  taken  to  overcome  the 
steep  grade  of  the  Livermore  Pass,  in  the  Mount 
Diablo  Range. 

Medway, — 64  miles  from  San  Francisco,  and 
356  feet  above  the  sea-level,  was  formerly  called 
"Zinc  House,"  from  the  only  building  in  this 
hilly  region,  made  of  zinc  a  material  used  fre- 
quently as  a  substitute  for  lumber,  then  scarce 
and  difficult  to  transport.  The  rolling  hills  are 
extensively  farmed  with  varied  success.  The  place 
has  but  a  small  population.  From  this  station  the 
train  coils  rapidly  around  the  points  of  hills,  across 


256 


VEBNAL  FALLS,  YOSEMITE. 

BY  THOMAS  MOBAN. 


257 


high  embankments,  and  through  deep  cuts,  the 
engine  often  seen  from  the  car  window  like  the 
fiery  head  of  a  huge  serpent. 

The  soil  is  coarse  sand  and  gravel,  the  finer 
particles  of  which,  and  vegetation,  too,  it  seems, 
have  been  blown  away  by  the  trade-winds,  which, 
pent  up  by  the  long  range,  rush  with  concentrated 
fury  over  the  summit  of  the  pass,  and  sweep 
down  with  devastating  force  into  the  vacuum  on 
the  heated  plains. 

Suddenly  the  train  enters  a  tunnel,  1,116  feet 
long,  the  only  one  between  Sacramento  and  San 
Francisco,  and  is  in  total  darkness  for  two 
minutes.  Emerging,  it  soon  arrives  at 

Altamont, — west  of  the  summit  of  the  Mount 
Diablo  Range,  56  miles  from  San  Francisco, 
and  740  feet  above  the  level  of  the  sea.  The 
traveler  will  see  numerous  gray  squirrels  stand- 
ing erect  at  the  entrance  to  their  homes.  They 
are  about  as  large  as  the  fox-squirrel  of  the  East- 
ern States,  live  in  villages  of  their  own,  are  the 
pest  of  the  farmer,  have  increased  since  the  land 
has  been  cultivated,  and  lay  the  grain  fields 
under  a  tribute  far  heavier  than  the  rent.  It  is 
a  remarkable  fact  that  both  birds  and  squirrels 
have  increased  in  variety  and  numbers  all  over 
the  cultivated  regions  of  the  State  since  1850. 
As  the  train  descends  into  Livermore  Valley,  a 
truly  picturesque  scene  is  presented.  The  level 
valley,  in  form  a  square  12  miles  across,  with 
many  narrow  extensions  far  into  the  mountains, 
is  spread  out  before  one  in  full  view,  with  rolling 
hills  on  all  sides,  except  the  west,  where  rises  an 
abrupt,  tree-clad  mountain. 

On  the  right,  across  the  low  hills,  green  with 
live  oaks,  may  now  be  seen  Mt.  Diablo,  not  as 
before,  a  blue  dome,  but  a  real  mountain,  with 
deep  gorges  in  its  sides,  covered  with  chaparral, 
and  capped  usually  with  gray  mists. 

It  is  an  Indian  legend  that  this  country,  west 
of  the  Sierra  Nevada  Mountains,  was  once  cov- 
ered with  water,  and  the  top  of  this  mountain 
then  a  little  island.  At  that  period,  says  the 
legend,  the  devil  was  there  imprisoned  by  the 
waters  for  a  long  time,  and,  therefore,  great  pros- 
perity and  quiet  resulted  to  mankind;  hence 
his  name  was  given  to  it.  However  the  name 
may  have  been  first  given,  it  now  clings  to  it  in 
Spanish  form. 

The  western  portion  of  this  valley  contains 
hundreds  of  acres  of  the  best  land  in  the  State, 
much  of  it  moist,  vegetable  land,  in  the  midst  of 
which  is  a  lake  of  fresh  water,  near  which  are 
natural  flowing  wells.  From  these  the  creek  de- 
rives its  name  "  Las  Positas  " — i.  e.,  little  wells. 

Much  of  the  eastern  part  of  the  valley  is  cov- 
ered, to  a  great  depth,  with  small,  angular  stones, 
mixed  with  clay,  and  the  region  was  thought  to 
be  useless,  but  it  now  produces  the  finest  of 
wheat. 

From  Altamont,  it  is  8.1  miles  to 

Livermore, — 47  miles  from  San  Francisco. 

17 


This  is  a  live  town,  485  feet  above  tide-water, 
with  1,000  inhabitants,  a  seminary  of  learning, 
beautifully  nestled  amid  sturdy  oaks,  a  Presby- 
terian and  a  Catholic  church,  a  steam  mill,  news- 
paper, saloons,  stores,  and  several  large  ware- 
houses. Nine  miles  south,  and  at  the  head  of 
Corral  Hollow,  are  five  veins  of  good  coal  yield- 
ing 100  tons  per  day,  and  six  miles  from  the  town 
another  vein  has  been  opened.  These  are  prob- 
ably an  extension  of  the  Mount  Diablo  Coal 
fields  which  have  been  worked  for  many  years. 
Six  and  one-tenth  miles  down  the  valley  is 

Pleasanton, — 41  miles  from  San  Francisco, 
353  feet  above  the  sea,  a  village  of  300  inhab- 
itants, with  several  stores,  a  large  warehouse,  an 
abundance  of  good  water,  and  a  rich,  beautiful 
country  on  the  north  connecting  with  other  val- 
leys, and  extending  to  Martinez  at  the  head  of 
the  Straits  of  Carquinez.  This  region,  now  Liv- 
ermore Valley,  was  formerly  called  Amador  Val- 
ley, from  its  original  owner,  and  was  an  inland 
sea.  In  1836,  Mr.  Livermore  found  the  bones  of 
a  whale  on  the  surface  of  the  ground,  near  the 
town  which  bears  his  name.  The  vertebrae  lay 
in  order  with  the  ribs  scattered  about  like  the 
rails  of  a  "worm"  fence.  Abalone  shells  are 
also  found  in  quantities  near  the  old  ranche 
house.  Beautiful  variegated  wild  pansies,  the 
lupin  and  California  poppy  have  taken  the  place 
of  sea  weeds. 

In  June  may  be  seen,  near  Pleasanton,  high 
above  the  grain,  the  yellow  blossoms  of  the  black 
mustard.  In  former  years  it  stood  12  feet  high, 
and  so  thick  that  it  was  difficult  to  force  one's 
way  through  it.  To 

Sunol, — (Sun-yole)  36  miles  from  San  Fran- 
cisco, the  train  dashes  down  the  narrow  valley  of 
the  Alasal  Creek,  5.2  miles,  amid  pleasing  scen- 
ery, and  relics  of  the  Mexican  and  Indian  civili- 
zation of  California.  On  the  right  is  the  Contra 
Costa  Range  of  Coast  Mountains,  so  called  be- 
cause opposite  the  Coast  Range,  near  and  north 
of  San  Francisco.  It  is  only  a  few  miles  across 
to  the  San  Jose  (San  Ho-zay)  Valley,  where  the 
train  will  pass  in  an  opposite  direction.  Sunol 
Valley,  a  mile  wide  and  three  miles  long,  is  south 
of  this  station.  Seven  miles  above  this  is  the 
Calaveras  Valley,  containing  1,500  acres — the 
proposed  site  of  a  vast  reservoir  to  supply  San 
Francisco  with  water  in  future  years.  The 
mountains  about  these  valleys  are  extensive 
sheep  and  cow  pastures,  covered  with  wild  oats. 

The  road  passes  down  the  canon  of  the  Ala- 
meda  Creek  and  over  three  fine  bridges,  yet 
winding  with  the  canon,  steep  mountains  on 
both  sides,  dressed  in  green  or  parched  with  sum- 
mer heat;  the  bracing  sea  breezes,  and  the 
knowledge  that  in  an  hour  and  a  half  the  cars 
will  reach  the  bay,  revive  the  spirits  of  the 
traveler.  Soon  a  scene  of  wide  extended 
beauty  is  to  burst  on  his  vision — the  San  Jose 
Valley,  the  Bay  of  San  Francisco,  the  Serrated 


258 


Mountains  that  turn  back  the  ocean  tides  of 
8,000  miles  travel,  and  all  around  him,  as  he 
hurries  on  to  the  great  city,  a  garden  spot  more 
and  more  variegated  with  the  choicest  fruits  and 
flowers,  and  abundant  in  homes  of  luxury  and 
ease.  From  Sunol  it  is  6.4  miles  to 

Niles, — 30  miles  from  San  Francisco,  88  feet 
above  tide-water.  Here  are  a  store,  hotel,  ware- 
house and  mill.  A  stage  runs  from  all  trains  to 
Centreville,  three  miles  distant.  Here  is  the 
junction  of  the  San  Jose  Branch  of  the  Central 
Pacific  Railroad.  This  branch  passes  through 
Washington  Corners,  the  seat  of  a  flourishing 
college,  under  Rev.  S.  S.  Harmon,  and  a  pleasant 
village  overlooking  the  bay,  and  near  the  old 
Mission  de  San  Jose. 

Three  miles  farther  are  the  Warm  Springs,  in 
the  midst  of  oak  and  other  trees  near  the  Aqua 
Caliente  (hot  water)  Creek.  The  minerals  that 
increase  the  value  of  the  heated  water  are  lime, 
sulphur,  magnesia  and  iron.  They  were  for- 
merly a  popular  resort,  but  are  now  the  property 
of  Governor  Stanford.  When  his  designs  of 
building  and  beautifying  are  completed,  it  will 
be  one  of  the  most  attractive  of  the  summer 
resorts. 

Near  Niles  the  Alameda  Creek  is  turned  into 
a  ditch  30  feet  wide,  and  distributed  over  the 
valley  for  irrigation,  for  although  both  the  land 
and  climate  are  moist,  irrigation  promotes  the 
growth  of  fruits  and  vegetables  called  for  by  the 
San  Francisco  market. 

Adjoining  the  south-east  end  of  this  bay,  are 
20,000  acres  of  salt  marsh,  now  in  process  of 
reclamation  by  dikes  and  ditches. 

Through  this  a  narrow  gauge  railroad  has  been 
built  from  deep  water,  at  Dunbarton  Point,  via 
Newark  to  Alviso,  and  will  run  thence  through 
Santa  Clara  to  Santa  Cruz. 

Along  the  east  side  of  the  bay  are  numerous 
salt  ponds,  the  sea  water  being  let  in  at  high  tide 
upon  a  large  tract  of  land,  when  the  rainy  sea- 
son is  over,  and  this  repeated  several  times.  The 
concentrated  brine  is  then  drawn  off  in  a  planked 
reservoir,  where  it  slowly  crystallizes. 

As  the  train  passes  down  2.8  miles  to  Decoto, 
the  eye  is  pleased,  in  April  and  May,  by  the 
mountain  on  the  right — round,  green,  shaven, 
like  a  lawn,  or  its  sides  rich  with  fields  of  grain ; 
or  yellow  with  large  patches  of  buttercups,  blue 
with  lupin,  or  deep  orange  with  the  Eschscholt- 
zia,  or  California  wild  poppy,  gathered,  no  doubt, 
far  east  of  this  point,  for  many  a  sentimental 
nosegay,  in  honor  of  the  traveler's  acquaintance. 
It  is  a  flower  peculiar  to  the  north-west  coast  of 
America.  Wild  flowers  are  so  numerous  in  Cal- 
ifornia that  often  from  twenty  to  a  hundred  va- 
rieties may  be  gathered  from  one  spot. 

On  the  left,  the  trees  mark  the  Alameda  Creek, 
flowing  down  to  the  salt  land.  Beyond  this  lies 
the  Old  San  Jose  Road,  and  the  richest  and  best 
cultivated  portion  of  the  valley.  At  Centreville, 


half -hidden  in  the  distance,  is  an  Alden  fruit  f  ac- 
tory,  convenient  to  large  orchards,  and,  near  by, 
on  the  farm  of  Rev.  W.  W.  Brier,  stands  the  tree 
from  which  originated  the  thousands  of  acres  of 
Brier's  Lariguedoc  Almond,  the  soft-shelled  al- 
mond, that  no  traveler  has  ever  seen  excelled  in 
flavor. 

The  hill-sides  from  one  to  500  feet  above  the 
valleys,  are  best  adapted  to  its  culture,  because 
the  warm  air  from  the  lowlands  prevents  injury 
from  frost.  At 

Decoto, — 27  miles  from  San  Francisco,  may 
be  seen  the  Blue  Gum  Tree.  Under  favorable 
circumstances  it  will  grow,  in  five  years  from  the 
seed,  to  a  height  of  70  feet,  with  a  circumference 
of  four  feet.  The  green  wood  splits  readily,  but 
the  dry  is  as  hard  as  the  lignum-vitse.  They 
are  highly  prized  for  a  supposed  tendency  to 
counteract  malaria,  and  their  cultivation  is  rap- 
idly extending. 

Soon  after  leaving  Decoto,  Alvarado  may  be 
seen.  It  was  once  the  county-seat  of  Alameda 
County.  The  valley  land  in  this  vicinity  sells 
for  $150  to  $250  per  acre,  and  the  mountain  land 
from  $10  to  $30.  It  is  a  peculiarity  of  Califor- 
nia, that  the  value  of  land  is  always  stated  sep- 
arately from  improvements. 

Haywards, — 21  miles  from  San  Francisco, 
is  6.3  miles  from  Decoto.  The  town  is  seen  a 
mile  to  the  right,  on  the  hill,  at  the  outlet  of 
Castro  Valley — rich,  rolling  and  beautiful,  and 
well  watered,  four  miles  long  by  two  wide.  Cas- 
tro Valley  is  named  in  honor  of  the  original 
owner  of  the  ranche,  and  Hayward's  Hotel  is  a 
well-known  resort. 

On  the  hill,  to  the  right,  is  seen  a  forest — that 
may  be  mistaken  for  evidence  that  these  hills 
have  been  recently  denuded  of  their  timber.  It 
is  a  forest  of  the  Blue  Gum  Tree — 200  acres, 
planted  by  James  T.  Stratton. 

The  town  has  churches,  public  schools,  and 
the  hotel,  still  kept  by  Mr.  Hayward,  is  a  popular 
place  of  resort  for  those  who  seek  a  good  and 
quiet  home  without  removing  from  business  in 
the  city.  Stages  leave  this  station  for  Alvarado 
at  9.20  A.  M.,  and  4.20  P.  M.  ;  for  Danville  and 
Walnut  Creek  at  4.20  P.  M.,  and  from  all  trains 
to  Haywards.  For  many  years  a  railroad  ran 
from  Alameda  to  Haywards,  but  the  track  has 
been  taken  up. 

Lorenzo,— 18  miles  from  San  Francisco,  is 
near  San  Lorenzo  Creek,  and  surrounded  by  a 
well  improved  country.  It  is  a  pleasant  village, 
and  contains  an  extensive  establishment  for 
drying  fruit  on  the  Alden  process,  a  store,  a  neat 
church  edifice  and  the  usual  places  to  "  take  a 
drink."  The  land  is  worth  $600  per  acre.  The 
large  building  to  the  right  on  the  mountain  side, 
is  the  Poorhouse  of  Alameda  County,  with  which 
there  is  a  farm  connected.  The  golden  sands  of 
California  and  the  absence  of  severe  winters  do 
not  keep  poverty  and  age  from  every  door,  nor 


259 


does  a  generous  hospitality  make  public  charity 
unnecessary. 

This  section  of  country  is  noted  for  its 
cherries  and  currants,  but  nearly  every  variety  of 
fruit  is  extensively  cultivated.  One  of  the  fine 
orchards  on  the  right  before  reaching  the  sta- 
tion, has  100  acres  of  Almonds,  and  200  acres  of 
other  fruits.  The  owner,  Mr.  William  Meek,  has 
constructed  private  water-works  at  an  expense 
of  115,000. 

San  Leandro, — 15  miles  from  San  Fran- 
cisco, was  formerly  a  county-seat.  It  has  a 
population  of  1,000,  a  large  factory  for  wagons 
and  gang-plows,  a  Presbyterian,  a  Catholic  and 
a  Methodist  Church,  stores  and  saloons.  In  the 
mountains  opposite,  and  on  a  creek  of  the  same 
name,  is  located  the  reservoir  of  the  Oakland 
water- works.  The  water  is  collected  •  from  the 
winter  floods  and  is  65  feet  deep. 

Melrose — is  11  miles  from  San  Francisco.  Be- 
fore reaching  the  station  and  after  crossing  the 
San  Leandro  Creek,  there  may  be  seen  on  the 
right,  nestled  in  a  beautiful  vale  at  the  foot  of 
the  mountains,  the  largest  and  best  apportioned 
Protestant  Seminary  for  girls,  to  which  the 
Pacific  Coast  lays  claim.  The  buildings  were 
erected  at  a  cost  of  about  f  100,000,  $30,000  of 
which  was  contributed  by  public-spirited  indi- 
viduals. The  65  surrounding  acres,  with  their 
oaks,  sycamores,  alders,  willows,  and  laurel  or 
bay  tree ;  the  orchards,  lawns  and  flower-beds,  the 
inspiring  views,  combining  the  fruitful  plain, 
the  water  and  the  mountains  beyond ;  a  climate, 
always  stimulating  to  mental  effort — in  short,  the 
correspondence  of  attractions  and  advantages, 
without  and  within,  make  this  a  point  of  inter- 
est to  all  who  desire  to  see  the  progress  of  edu- 
cation in  one  of  nature's  most  gifted  spots. 

Near  the  race-track  on  the  left,  are  several 
buildings  with  large,  square  chimneys,  used  to 
smelt  and  refine  gold  and  silver,  while  on  the  right 
is  a  fuse  factory.  The  town  of  Alameda  is  seen 
on  the  left,  almost  hidden  by  live  oaks.  A 
branch  railroad  connects  it  with  this  station,  and 
the  "  local  "  trains  of  Oakland. 

Between  Melrose  and  the  next  station,  we  pass 
Fruit  Vale,  a  station  on  the  Alameda  Road, 
and  a  spot  of  surpassing  loveliness.  The  elegant 
lawns,  and  beautiful  mansions  are  almost  wholly 
concealed  by  the  luxuriant  foliage,  and  amid  the 
strapping  of  shawls  and  gathering  of  valises, 
there  will  be  no  time  to  waste,  where  only  a 
glimpse  of  the  beauty  may  be  had,  and 

Brooklyn  —  will  be  announced  2.3  miles 
from  Melrose,  and  9  miles  from  San  Francisco. 
Here  is  the  point  of  departure  for  the  "  local " 
trains  that  will  be  seen  again  at  the  Oakland 
wharf.  It  is  now  East  Oakland,  a  delightful 
suburb  of  San  Francisco. 

The  land  rises  gently  toward  the  foot  hills, 
almost  from  the  water's  edge.  Since  it  has 
become  a  corporate  part  of  the  City  of  Oak- 


land, it  has  made  rapid  improvement  in  the 
opening  of  new  and  well  macadamized  streets 
and  the  erection  of  fine  residences.  At  this 
point  there  is  a  "  local "  train  that  passes  directly 
through  Oakland  to  Oakland  Point.  Before 
reaching  the  next  station  the  train  will  cross  the 
track  of  the  Alameda  Branch.  This  track  is  for 
the  accommodation  of  local  travel,  and  connects 
Alameda  and  Fruit  Vale  with  Oakland  and  San 
Francisco.  From  the  abundance  of  the  ever- 
green oaks,  one  may  quickly  conclude  that  pleas- 
ure parties  will  find  there  a  balmy  retreat 
whether  beneath  the  clear  sky,  or  sheltered  from 
the  afternoon  winds,  and  it  has  always  been  a 
popular  picnic  resort.  On  Sunday,  the  boats 
and  trains  are  crowded  with  thousands  seeking 
recreation  and  enjoyment  there.  Brooklyn  is  a 
splendid  home  resort  for  travelers  ;  the  comforts 
of  so  nice  a  hotel  as  Tubb's  are  worthy  of  appre- 
ciation. 

Oakland — is  2  miles  from  Brooklyn.  The 
train  halts  at  the  foot  of  Market  Street,  where 
many  through  passengers  leave  it,  Oakland  be- 
ing really  a  suburb  of  the  larger  city  near  at 
hand,  and  the  chosen  residence  of  hundreds  who 
do  all  their  business  and  spend  most  of  their 
daytime  over  there.  It  if  beautiful  for  situa- 
tion, and  boasts  a  climate  much  preferred  to 
that  of  San  Francisco  ;  the  trade-winds  from 
the  Pacific,  which  are  fierce  and  cold,  and  often 
heavy  with  fog  there,  being  much  softened  in 
crossing  the  bay.  This  has  attracted  many  to 
make  it  their  residence,  though  obliged  to  do 
business  in  San  Francisco,  and  about  10,000 
passengers  daily  cross  on  the  half-hourly  and 
splendid  ferry-boats,  and  the  number  of  trips 
will  be  increased  before  long.  The  population 
of  the  city  increases  rapidly,  and,  in  1877, 
was  47,000.  As  measures  of  its  enterprise  and 
prosperity  it  may  be  stated  that  2,000  new 
buildings  are  to  be  erected  in  1877,  and  a  quar- 
ter of  a  million  dollars  expended  in  building  a 
court-house  and  county  jail.  There  are  three  sav- 
ings banks,  two  national  gold  banks,  four  lines  of 
horse-cars,  three  flouring  and  four  planing  mills, 
an  iron  and  a  brass  foundry,  two  potteries,  one 
patent  marble  works,  a  jute  bag  factory,  three 
tanneries  and  dther  establishments  employing 
many  mechanics.  On  the  public  schools,  of 
which  Oakland  is  justly  very  proud,  'nearly 
<$6,000  are  monthly  expended,  and  nearly  a 
quarter  of  a  million  dollars  value  in  property  is 
owned  by  the  department.  The  State  Univer- 
sity is  within  the  city  limits.  Its  site,  which  has 
been  named  Berkley,  is  on  the  northern  border 
of  the  city  and  has  a  direct  ferry  to  San  Fran- 
cisco, and  many  families  are  planting  themselves 
there,  attracted  by  its  natural  beauty  and  the  ed- 
ucational and  social  advantages  which  cluster 
around  it.  The  University  is  open  to  students 
of  both  sexes,  and  tuition  is  free.  The  number 
of  students  exceeds  200.  By  special  law,  the 


260 


sale  of  intoxicating  liquors  is 
forbidden,  within  two  miles  of 
this  University. 

There  are  20  churches  in 
Oakland,  of  which  16  own 
houses  of  worship.  Some  of 
them  are  elegant  and  costly ; 
the  First  Presbyterian  Church 
has  recently  dedicated  a  new 
church  building  which  cost 
them  over  $60,000.  Seven 
newspapers  are  published, 
three  daily,  the  rest 
weekly. 

The  rides   in  and  around 
Oakland,  for  variety  of   at- 
tractive features,  are   rarely 
equaled.     Many    come    over 
from  San  Francisco,  in   the 
morning,  expressly  to  enjoy 
this  pleasure.     Lake  Merritt, 
a  beautiful    sheet  of   water, 
Tubb's  Hotel  and  the  Grand 
.  Central  Hotel,  both  spacious 
8  and     admirably     kept,     are 
3  among  the  attractions  which 
5  none  fail  to  visit,  and  with 
£  which  thousands  have  bright 
fc  and  happy  memories  associa- 
3  ted. 

g       Though  incorporated  as  a 
^  city,  Oakland  is   thoroughly 
S  rural.     A  very  small  portion 
*"  of  the  business  part  around 
x  the  chief  railroad  station  is 
"  built   up   solidly,   but  every- 
P  where  else  the  houses  stand 
g  detached     and    usually    sur- 
rounded by  a  liberal  expanse 
of    gardens,    grass-plat,    and 
shrubbery  which  remind  one 
of  an  eastern  village.     Live 
oaks   abound,  and    show   by 
their    leaning    over    toward 
the  east,  the   constancy  and 
strength  of  the  summer  trade- 
winds.      Geraniums,  roses, 
fuchsias,  callas,  verbenas,  and 
many    tropical     plants     and 
flowers     grow    luxuriantly, 
never  suffering  from  outdoor 
winter  exposure,  and  finding 
a  soil  of  surpassing  richness 
and  fertility.     Fruit  trees  de- 
velop into  bearing  in  a  third 
or  half  the  time  usually  re- 
quired on  the  Atlantic  Coast. 
The  city  is  favored  with  one 
rare    advantage.       The   rail- 
road company  charge  no  fare 
on  their  local  trains,  between 
stations  within  the  city  limits. 


261 


These  trains  are  half-hourly,  most  of  the  day, 
and  there  are  nearly  five  miles  of  railroad,  and 
eight  stations  within  the  city  limits.  The  con- 
venience of  thus  riding  freely  at  all  hours,  can 
hardly  be  understood  by  those  who  have  not  ex- 
perienced it.  The  line  of  the  local  road  is 
directly  through  the  city,  and  only  local  trains 
run  upon  it,  all  other  passenger  trains,  and  all 
freight  trains  taking  the  main  road  close  to  the 
water's  edge.  Of  all  the  suburbs  of  San  Fran- 
cisco, Oakland  is  the  most  popular.  Its  growth 
exceeds  that  of  San  Francisco.  The  time  re- 
quired to  reach  it  from  California  Street,  is  less 
than  is  required  to  get  up-town  from  Wall 
Street  in  New  York,  and  once  reached,  the 
merchant,  weary  with  the  cares  of  the  busy  day, 
may  find  a  home  with  a  more  tropical  luxuriance 
of  fruit  and  flowers,  almost  the  same  in  summer 
and  winter,  and  scenery  scarcely  less  picturesque 
than  the  banks  of  the  Hudson  afford. 

Oakland  Point — is  the  last  station  before 
reaching  the  ferry.  The  stop  is  made  to  pass  over 
the  long  trestle  work  with  a  light  engine.  Here 
the  railroad  company  own  about  125  acres  of 
land,  and  have  extensive  buildings  and  repair 
shops.  On  their  dock  they  remodel,  or  build 
their  ferry-boats,  the  boats  of  the  California 
Steam  Navigation  Company,  and  here  the 
Western  Development  Company  build  all  the 
bridges  and  frame  all  hotels,  warehouses,  and 
other  buildings  for  the  Central,  California,  and 
Southern  Pacific  Railroads.  About  300  men  are 
constantly  employed.  There  is  a  roundhouse 
for  21  engines,  and  tracks  for  the  extra  pas- 
senger cars  needed  at  this  important  terminus. 

A  channel  has  been  dredged  out  from  this  yard 
to  the  bay,  which  shows  plainly  from  the  cai*s 
on  the  left  hand.  The  train  now  runs  out  on 
the  trestle  work,  which  is  built  out  into  sea  water 
farther  than  any  other  in  the  world,  and  is 
the  largest  in  waters  of  this  depth,  and  also  the 
best  built  wooden  pier  in  the  world.  It  was 
built  five  years  ago,  and  when  examined  a  year 
since,  a  few  teredo  were  found  in  piles  without 
bark ;  but  the  strength  of  the  pier  was  not  appre- 
ciably impaired.  It  is  2.8  miles  long. 

To  protect  it  from  fire,  all  the  engines  em- 
ployed on  it  are  fitted  with  force  pumps,  and 
can  be  used  as  steam  fire  engines  at  a  moment's 
notice.  There  are  three  slips  and  four  piers,  and 
the  aggregate  width  of  the  latter  is  396  feet,  and 
over  these  an  immense  freight  and  passenger 
business  is  done. 

Eight  sea-going  ships  can  be  loaded  with  grain 
simultaneously.  Nearly  all  the  lumber  for  the 
whole  treeless  region  in  Southern  California,  now 
reached  by  the  railroad,  is  loaded  from  vessels 
at  this  wharf.  Wagons  and  carriages  crossing 
between  Oakland  and  San  Francisco  come  over 
one  of  these  piers  to  the  ferry-boat  at  present; 
but  it  involves  risk  to  horses,  vehicles,  and  their 
passengers,  and  the  company  are  building  ferry- 


boats to  run  by  San  Antonio  Creek  directly  to 
Oakland,  by  which  all  teams  will  be  ferried  be- 
tween the  two  cities,  and  the  increasing  passen- 
ger traffic  have  the  additional  tracks  now  needed. 
Freight  cars  cross  from  this  wharf  to  the  im- 
mense freight  depot  at  the  foot  of  Fourth  Street 
in  San  Francisco,  and  a  boat  is  building  to  carry 
at  once  20  loaded  freight  cars  and  20  car  loads 
of  cattle. 

There  is  fine  angling,  chiefly  for  smelt,  from 
these  wharves.  Four  or  five  of  these  fish  may  be 
caught  at  a  single  cast.  Within  two  years,  east- 
ern salmon  have  been  placed  in  these  waters,  and 
occasionally  these  are  caught.  California  salmon 
do  not  take  the  hook,  because  people  and  fish  are 
sharp  on  this  side  of  the  Continent. 

At  Oakland  wharf,  passengers  and  baggage 
are  transferred  to  the  spacious  and  elegant  ferry- 
boats, on  which  hackmen  and  hotel-runners  will 
be  sure  to  speak  for  themselves. 

The  distance  from  the  end  of  the  wharf  across 
the  water  to  the  ferry-house  in  San  Francisco  is  3.4 
miles,  and  is  ordinarily  made  in  fifteen  minutes. 
When  the  wind  is  blowing,  none  but  the  most 
rugged  persons  should  venture  to  stand  outside 
the  cabin;  but  if  it  is  practicable  to  gain  the 
view,  there  are  many  points  of  great  interest. 
At  night,  the  city  itself  with  long  rows  of  lights 
extending  over  hills,  more  than  "  seven,"  or  its 
wide  extent  by  day,  produces  at  once  an  impres- 
sion of  its  greatness. 

Bay  of  San  Francisco. — The  bay  is  large 
enough  to  float  the  navies  of  the  world,  and 
beautified  by  a  rare  combination  of  island, 
mountain,  city  and  plain.  On  the  right,  pass- 
ing to  San  Francisco,  and  near  the  wharf,  is 
Goat  Island,  a  military  reservation,  and  the  sub- 
ject of  considerable  agitation  in  Congress.  The 
quarters  of  the  officers  and  men  are  seen  on  the 
east  side,  and  on  the  south  end  is  a  fog-bell  and 
whistle  that  are  often  called  into  requisition. 
The  Golden  Gate  proper  is  north,  or  to  the  right 
of  the  city — five  miles  long  and  about  a  mile 
wide. 

It  is  strongly  fortified  at  various  points.  Al- 
catraz,  a  naval  station,  is  an  island  at  the  end  of 
the  gate  and  entrance  to  the  bay,  and  commands 
the  whole  passage  from  the  ocean. 

Angel  Island,  north  of  Alcatraz,  is  another 
military  reservation,  well  fortified.  North-west 
of  this  may  be  seen  the  towering  peak  of  Mount 
Tamalpais,  the  highest  near  the  city.  On  the 
right,  one  may  look  north  to  the  San  Pablo  Bay, 
and  behind  him  see  classic  Berkley,  Oakland, 
and  Alameda,  with  the  Coast  Hills  in  the  back- 
ground. South,  the  view  extends  over  the  bay 
toward  San  Jose,  and  everywhere,  except  where 
the  city  stands,  and  through  the  Golden  Gate, 
it  is  shut  in  by  mountains. 

The  trade-winds  and  fogs  are  shut  out  from 
California  by  the  Coast  Range,  the  fogs  not  ris- 
ing above  1,000  feet,  and  when  they  sweep  down 


262 


the  coast,  drive  through  the  Golden  Gate  with 
pent-up  fury.  The  heated  interior  makes  a  fun- 
nel of  this  passage  and  creates  a  demand  for  the 
lace  shawl  and  seal-skin  sacque  on  the  same  day. 

The  ferry-house  where  the  trip  across  the  Con- 
tinent ends,  is  well  arranged  and  provided  with 
everything  necessary  for  the  accommodation  of 
the  throngs  of  passengers  passing  through  it. 
The  baggage  department  of  the  railroad  is  here, 
and  is  connected  by  telegraph  with  every  station 
on  the  road,  giving  all  possible  facilities  for 
tracing  stray  baggage.  The  loss  of  baggage  by 
this  railroad  company  is  almost  an  unknown  in- 
cident, and  the  Pacific  Transfer  Company  is 
equally  reliable. 

San  Francisco. — The  ferry-boat  lands  at 
the  foot  of  Market  Street,  which  is  fast  becoming 
the  leading  business  artery  of  the  city.  Every 
horse-car  line,  except  one,  either  runs  in  or  crosses 
it,  and  by  direct  communication  or  transfer,  all 
connect  with  the  ferry  at  its  foot.  By  these  cars, 
or  by  carriages  in  waiting,  the  hotels  which  are 
about  a  half  mile  away  are  easily  reached.  The 
Grand  and  the  Palace  Hotels  are  on  Market,  at 
the  corner  of  New  Montgomery  Street,  the  Lick 
on  Montgomery,  a  few  steps  from  Market  Street, 
the  Occidental  and  the  Russ  near  at  hand  on  the 
same  street,  and  the  Cosmopolitan  at  the  corner 
of  Bush  and  Sansome  Streets,  close  to  Market. 
As  to  their  respective  merits,  we  must  decline  to 
make  comparisons  or  give  free  advertisements. 
Hotel  coaches  charge  uniformly  $1.00  gold  for 
transfer  of  each  passenger  and  baggage  from 
ferry  to  hotel.  The  Transfer  Company  will  carry 
baggage  alone  for  50  cents.  Whether  the  over- 
land traveler  resorts  to  a  hotel  or  to  the  home  of 
friends,  the  change  from  a  week  in  the  railroad 
cars  to  hospitable  quarters  and  richly  spread 
tables  will  be  so  grateful  as  at  first  to  dispel  all 
consciousness  of  fatigue ;  but  tired  nature  will 
assert  herself,  and  the  first  night  especially,  as 
the  arrival  is  at  evening,  will  be  given  to  rest. 

Perhaps  the  luxury  of  a  Turkish  bath  should  be 
had  at  the  earliest  moment.  "  The  Hammam," 
erected  by  Senator  Jones  on  Dupont  Street,  near 
Market,  at  a  cost  of  nearly  $200,000,  is  in  truly 
Oriental  style.  The  building  is  an  ornament  to 
the  city,  and  in  it  dusty  travelers  will  experience 
mingled  wonder  and  delight  at  its  Mohamme- 
dan architecture,  perfect  appointments,  and  com- 
plete adaptation  to  restore  a  sense  of  cleanliness 
and  give  solid  refreshment  to  both  body  and 
spirit. 

Thus  refreshed  and  looking  about  next  morn- 
ing, there  confronts  the  traveler  a  city,  the  growth 
of  twenty-seven  years,  which  counts  300,000  in- 
habitants, and  covers  a  territory  of  42  square 
miles.  On  its  eastern  front  it  extends  along  the 
bay,  whose  name  it  bears,  is  bounded  on  the 
north  by  the  Golden  Gate,  and  on  the  west  wash- 
ed by  the  Pacific  Ocean  along  a  beach  extending 
five  or  six  miles.  From  the  Golden  Gate  on  the 


north,  to  the  city  and  county-line  on  the  south,  is 
a  distance  of  about  seven  miles,  and  the  same 
from  the  bay  across  to  the  ocean.  The  surface 
is  varied  by  hills,  several  of  which  have  been 
built  upon,  and  from  whose  summit  command- 
ing views  may  be  obtained.  Telegraph  Hill 
looks  down  on  the  point  where  the  Golden  Gate 
leads  into  the  bay  and  harbor.  Clay  Street  Hill 
is  farther  south  and  west,  and  may  be  ascended 
in  cars  drawn  up  its  steep-graded  sides  by  an 
endless  rope  running  just  below  the  surface. 
This  hill  extends  some  distance  southward,  and 
makes  the  streets  crossing  Montgomery  to  the 
west,  steep,  and  some  almost  impracticable  for 
wheeled  vehicles.  Along  its  heights  some  of  the 
railroad  directors  and  others  have  erected,  or  are 
erecting,  princely  dwellings.  That  of  Governor 
Stanford  is  perhaps  unsurpassed  in  almost  every 
respect.  Rincon  Hill  is  in  the  southern  part  of 
the  city,  and  slopes  down  to  the  water's  edge. 
Until  a  recent  period,  it  was  noted  for  elegant 
private  dwellings  and  grounds ;  but  these  are 
now  found  in  all  directions,  more  clustering,  how- 
ever, around  Clay  Street  Hill,  perhaps,  than  else- 
where. The  growth  of  the  city  is  rather  toward 
the  west  than  the  south. 

Russian  Hill  is  west  and  north  of  Telegraph 
Hill,  and  looks  down  toward  the  Golden  Gate  and 
what  is  called  the  North  Beach,  a  portion  of 
the  city  less  in  favor  of  late  years  than  formerly. 
Smelting  works,  woolen  factories,  potteries,  ar- 
tificial stone-works  and  establishments  of  this 
general  character,  have  clustered  here. 

San  Francisco  is  very  regularly  laid  out. 
There  are  two  systems  of  streets,  between  which 
Market  Street  is  the  dividing  line.  North  of 
Market  the  streets  are  mostly  70  feet  wide,  cross 
at  right  angles  and  run  almost  north  and  south, 
east  and  west,  and  the  blocks  are  150  varas  or 
275  feet  wide,  and  150  varas  or  412  1-2  feet  long, 
the  length  being  east  and  west.  Market  Street 
runs  about  north-east  and  southwest.  South  of 
it  the  streets  for  over  a  mile  from  the  city  front, 
run  parallel  with  it  or  at  right  angles.  At  about  a 
mile  from  the  city  front  these  parallel  streets  grad- 
ually curve  toward  the  south  till  they  run  almost 
north  and  south.  This  change  of  course  was  caus- 
ed by  the  low  Mission  Hills  there  lifting  them- 
selves, and  by  the  tendency  of  travel  along  the  nar- 
row peninsula  toward  the  country  beyond  it.  The 
streets  south  of  Market  are  some  of  them  very 
broad,  and  some  quite  narrow.  This  portion  of 
the  city  was  laid  out  originally  with  very  wide 
streets  and  in  blocks  200  varas  or  550  feet  wide, 
and  300  varas  or  825  feet  long,  but  these  proved 
too  large  and  it  became  necessary  to  cut  them  up 
by  intervening  streets,  which  have  no  element  of 
regularity  except  parallelism  with  the  others.  The 
streets  are  all  numbered  from  the  city  front,  or  from 
Market  Street,  one  hundred  numbers  being  al- 
lowed to  each  block  after  the  first,  to  which  only 
99  are  assigned,  the  even  numbers  always  on  the 


263 


right  hand  as  the  numbers  run.  It  is  thus  easy 
to  locate  any  street  and  number.  There  are  a 
few  avenues,  but  with  the  exception  of  Van  Ness, 
which  is  125  feet  wide,  and  built  up  handsomely, 
and  Montgomery  Avenue,  which  is  laid  out  to 
provide  easy  access  to  the  North  Beach  portion 


SAN  FRANCISCO  MINT. 

of  the  city,  they  are  usually  short  and  narrow, 
or  in  the  most  newly  laid  out  portion  of  the  city, 
not  yet  built  up. 

The  heavy  wholesale  business  of  the  city  is 
done  along  the  water  front  and,  mostly  north  of 
Market  Street,  extending  back  three  or  four 
streets  from  the  front  to  where  banks,  brokers, 
insurance  companies  and  office  business  generally 
have  become  established,  the  same  territory 
south  of  this  street  being  occupied  by  lumber 
merchants,  planing  mills,  foundries,  and  machine 
shops.  Retail  business  of  all  kinds  is  done 
along  Kearney,  the  southern  part  of  Montgom- 
ery, the  upper  part  of  Market,  and  along  Third 
and  Fourth  Streets.  Markets  are  scattered 
through  the  city.  The  Central  is  near  Kearney 
to  the  west  on  Sutter  Street,  and  the  Calif ornian 
between  Kearney  and  Montgomery  Streets  ex- 
tending through  from  Pine  to  California.  Both 
are  worth  visiting,  and  display  everything  in  the 
market  line  in  rich  profusion  and  perfect  neat- 
ness and  order.  California  Street  and  Mont- 
gomery at  their  junctions,  are  the  great  resort  of 
the  crowd  dealing  in  stocks.  All  sorts  of  men 
may  be  seen  there,  between  9  A.  M.  and  6  p.  M., 
hovering  around  quotations  displayed  on  various 
brokers'  bulletin-boards,  and  talking  mines,  for 
speculation  centers  in  mining  shares.  Kearney 
Street  and  the  southern  part  of  Montgomery  are 
the  favorite  promenade  of  ladies,  and  especially 
on  Saturday  afternoons,  the  Hebrew  holiday, 
when  a  profusion  of  them,  richly  dressed  and 
be  jeweled,  may  be  met  there. 

The  theaters  are  all  near  this  region.  Two  of 
them  are  quite  new.  Wade's  Opera  House 
boasts  the  finest  chandelier  on  earth,  and  Bald- 
win's Academy  of  Music  is  claimed  to  be  unsur- 


passed on  this  Continent,  in  beauty  of  interior 
decoration  and  finish. 

Sidewalks  throughout  the  city  are  wide  and 
good.  Most  are  of  plank,  many  of  asphaltum, 
which  is  well  suited  to  the  climate,  the  heat 
rarely  being  sufficient  to  soften  it.  A  few  are  of 
cut  stone  or  artificial  stone.  The  last  material 
is  fast  coming  into  favor  for  many  uses.  Streets 
are  paved  with  cobbles,  Russ  pavement  and  plank, 
and  off  from  lines  of  heavy  business  teaming,  are 
macadamized.  Wooden  pavements  are  retained 
in  many,  but  are  not  approved.  The  Nicholson 
pavement  cannot  be  long  kept  down.  It  shrinks 
during  the  long  dry  summer,  and  with  the  first 
heavy  rains  swells  and  is  thrown  hopelessly  out 
of  place.  Good  paving  material  is  not  abundant, 
and  the  question  is  yet  unanswered,  what  shall 
be  the  pavement  of  San  Francisco  in  the  future  ? 

The  water  supply  comes  chiefly  from  reservoirs 
in  the  Coast  Range  Mountains  south  of  the  city, 
and  is  controlled  by  the  Spring  Valley  Water 
Company.  The  rates  are  double  and  treble 
those  charged  in  New  York  City,  and  are  due 
monthly  in  advance.  Many  families  pay  more 
for  their  water  than  for  their  bread.  It  should  be 
borne  in  mind,  however,  that  some  families  use 
much  more  water  for  irrigating  gardens  and 
grass-plats,  than  for  all  household  purposes. 

The  only  government  building  in  San  Fran- 
cisco that  is  finished  and  in  use,  and  worth  visit- 
ing, is  the  United  States  Mint,  on  Fifth  Street, 
near  Market.  The  machinery  here  is  believed 
to  be  unapproached  in  perfection  and  efficiency. 
Visitors  are  admitted  between  10  and  12  A.  M. 


BANK  OF  CALIFORNIA. 

A  Custom  House  is  in  process  of  erection,  and 
a  City  Hall ;  but  both  are  far  from  completion. 

There  are  many  fine  buildings  erected  for 
business  purposes.  A  number  of  new  blocks  of 
stores,  on  Kearney  and  Market  Streets,  combine 
spaciousness,  solidity  and  elegance.  The  Ne- 


PUBLIC  BUILDINGS  OF  SAN  FRANCISCO. 

1.— City  Park.    2.— New  City  Hall.    3.— General  View  of  City,  looking  towards  the  Bay. 

4.— Merchants'  Exchange.    6.— View  on  Market  Street 


265 


vada  Block,  the  Safe  Deposit  Building,  the 
Anglo  Californian  and  the  California  Bank,  the 
Mercantile  Library  and  Merchants'  Exchange, 
all  combine  pleasing  and  impressive  features, 
and  are  thoroughly  built  and  costly  erections. 
The  building,  comer  of  California  and  Mont- 
gomery Streets,  occupied  by  Wells,  Fargo  &  Go's 
Express,  was  the  first  substantial  erection  in  the 
city.  It  was  imported  from  China,  where  the 
stone  was  all  cut  and  fitted,  ready  for  its  place. 

One  feature  of  San  Francisco  architecture  is 
bay-windows.     Few  private  houses  are  without 


proportion  of  the  population  live  in  lodgings  and 
go  out  for  their  meals.  The  tendency  to  a  more 
settled  mode  of  life,  however,  increases,  and  a 
great  number  of  private  dwellings  have  been 
erected  by  individuals  and  building  associations, 
of  late  years.  The  Real  Estate  Associates  build 
and  sell  on  an  average  a  house  a  day,  and  have 
done  so  for  three  years  past.  They  build  by 
day's  work,  in  thorough  style,  chiefly  houses  of 
six  and  eight  rooms,  and  sell  them  for  one-fifth 
cash,  and  the  remainder  in  72  monthly  install- 
ments, based  on  9  per  cent,  interest  for  the  de- 


"  HOODLUMS." 


them,  and  the  last  built  hotels,  the  Grand,  the 
Palace,  and  Baldwin's,  have  their  whole  surface 
studded  with  them,  to  the  great  comfort  of  their 
guests,  and  equal  defacement  of  their  external 
appearance.  San  Francisco  is  called  the  Bay 
City.  It  might  well  be  named  the  "bay-win- 
dow city."  The  mildness  of  the  climate  and  the 
instinctive  craving  for  sunshine,  are  considera- 
tions which  will  always  make  bay-windows  a 
desirable  and  a  favorite  feature  here. 

A  stranger  will  observe  here  the  great  number 
of  restaurants  and  furnished  lodgings.     A  large 


ferred  payment.  Most  of  the  uniformly  built 
blocks  of  detached  houses  in  the  city,  were  built 
by  them.  They  always  built  detached  houses, 
which  are  safer  in  case  of  fires. 

A  great  conflagration  may  overtake  any  city, 
but  this  is  more  secure  than  its  wooden  appear- 
ance indicates.  Owing  to  the  dampness  from 
summer  fogs  and  winter  rains,  and  the  liability 
of  injury  by  earthquakes,  wood  is  the  only  desir- 
able material  for  dwellings.  Nearly  all  used  is 
the  sequoia,  or  redwood,  so  abundant  in  the 
Coast  Range.  It  burns  very  slowly,  compared 


SCENES  IN  THE  HAKBOR  OF  SAN  FRANCISCO. 


267 


with  eastern  woods,  and  the  city  has  a  very  effi- 
cient steam  fire  department. 

The  city  cemeteries  are  yet  west  of  the  best 
residences,  but  agitation  has  already  commenced 
looking  to  an  end  of  interments  within  city  lim- 
its. Lone  Mountain,  an  isolated  mound  with- 
in the  Roman  Catholic  Cemetery  and  surmounted 
by  a  large  cross,  lately  blown  down,  has  long  been 
a  noted  landmark  and  gives  its  name  to  the  re- 
gion adjoining,  which  is  devoted  to  burying 
grounds. 

South  from  Lone  Mountain  lies  the  Golden 
Gate  Park,  in  which  the  city  justly  takes  great 
pride,  and  which  is  destined  to  become  one  of 
the  most  beautiful  of  city  pleasure  grounds  in 
the  United  States.  It  was  a  waste  of  sand  only 
five  or  six  years  since,  but,  by  careful  planting 
of  the  yellow  lupin,  the  sand  is  subdued,  and 
by  irrigation,  grass-plats  have  been  created,  and 
a  forest  of  trees  brought  rapidly  forward.  The 
drives  are  fine,  and,  on  pleasant  days,  thousands 
of  carriages  resort  here.  Driving  is  a  Calif  orni- 
an's  weak  point,  and  more  money  is  expended  by 
him  on  livery  and  private  stables  in  proportion 
to  his  means  and  other  expenditures,  than  by  his 
brother-citizens  of  the  "  States."  It  is  a  natural 
result  of  plentiful  money,  long  distances  and  few 
railroads.  Racing  is  also  much  in  vogue,  and  a 
fine  race-track  is  laid  out,  near  Lone  Mountain, 
in  full  view  from  the  Park. 

All  the  religious  denominations  are  well  repre- 
sented, and  there  are  some  fine  buildings  for 
worship,  among  which  the  Synagogue,  on  Sutter, 
the  First  Congregational  Church,  on  Post,  and 
St.  Patrick's  Cathedral,  on  Mission  Street,  are 
most  notable. 

Benevolent  mutual  societies  and  secret  orders 
are  very  numerous.  Particulars  concerning  them 
and  the  churches,  may  be  found  in  the  city  direc- 
tory. The  free  schools  of  the  city  are  a  just 
source  of  pride.  They  are  provided  for  with  a 
liberality,  and  conducted  with  a  skill  which  make 
them  of  incalculable  value  to  the  city  in  all  its 
interests. 

The  Mercantile  Library,  the  Mechanic's  and 
the  Odd  Fellows,'  are  large  and  valuable,  and 
the  use  of  them  may  be  obtained  on  easy  terms. 
Roman's  bookstore,  on  Montgomery,  and  Ban- 
croft's, on  Market  Street,  are  prominent  among 
many  good  ones.  Books  are  generally  sold  at 
publisher's  prices,  in  gold.  Bancroft  is  a  large 
publisher  of  law  books,  and  has  erected  a  build- 
ing in  which  are  carried  on  all  departments  of 
book-making. 

Excursions. — For  sight-seeing  in  San  Fran- 
cisco, no  plan  will  suit  the  convenience  of  every 
one,  but  the  best  for  a  few  days  is  the  following : 

Let  the  morning  be  spent  in  a  ride  to  the 
Cliff  House,  where  a  good  breakfast  may  be 
obtained,  if  not  had  sooner.  The  Cliff  House 
toll-road  has  been  the  favorite  route  and  is  un- 
surpassed as  a  drive.  The  shell-road  of  New 


Orleans  is  no  better.  But  the  road  through  the 
Golden  Gate  Park,  is  splendidly  macadamized, 
and  should  be  traveled  either  going  or  returning. 
A  drive  should  be  taken  along  the  beach  to 
"  Ocean  House,"  and  a  return  made  to  the  city, 
through  and  over  the  hills.  Coming  into  the 
city  by  this  road,  there  bursts  into  view,  one  of 
the  most  magnificent  sights  on  the  coast.  The 
city,  the  bay,  Oakland  and  a  vast  extent  of 
mountain,  valley,  loveliness  of  nature  and  art, 
are  spread  out  below.  If  the  Park  can  be  re- 
served for  a  separate  drive,  go  by  the  Cliff 
House  Road,  if  not,  go  by  the  Park.  The  Cliff 
House  may  be  reached  also,  by  two  lines  of 
street-cars  and  omnibusses.  The  cost  of  a 
carriage  for  four  persons  will  be  $10.00  for  the 
trip — by  omnibus  and  cars,  one  dollar  for  each 
person.  The  trip  should  be  made  as  early  as 
possible  to  avoid  the  wind  and  fog. 

The  afternoon  may  be  spent  at  Woodward's 
Gardens,  making  sure  of  the  feeding  of  sea-lions 
at  1  or  3.30  o'clock.  The  aquarium  is  unique, 
suggested  by  one  in  Berlin,  and  has  nothing  like 
it  in  America.  Birds,  animals  of  various  kinds, 
fruits,  flowers,  museum,  art  gallery  and  many 
other  objects  of  attraction,  make  these  gardens 
one  of  the  chief  attractions  to  tourists.  They 
represent  the  Pacific  Coast  in  its  animals  and 
curiosities,  better  than  any  other  collection. 

Another  morning,  go  up  Clay  Street  Hill  in 
the  cars,  and  ride  to  the  end  of  the  route.  Fine 
views  will  be  seen  of  the  city  and  bay,  from  many 
points,  and  some  handsome  residences  will  be 
passed.  On  descending,  climb  Telegraph  Hill  on 
foot,  the  only  way  in  which  it  can  be  done,  and 
enjoy  the  view  in  all  directions.  After  lunch  take 
the  Market  Street  cars,  and  ride  to  Twenty-first 
Street.  At  Sixteenth  Street,  one  will  be  near  the 
old  Mission  Church,  an  adobe  building  dedicated 
in  1776.  Having  reached  Twenty-first  Street,  cross 
to  Folsom,  and  return  in  the  North  Beach  & 
Mission  cars  to  the  city,  leaving  them  where  they 
cross  Market,  or  at  the  end  of  their  route,  corner 
of  California  and  Montgomery.  These  rides  will 
take  one  through  the  portion  of  the  city  rapidly 
growing  and  extending  toward  the  south-west. 
There  will  be  time  after  returning,  to  walk  about 
Kearney  and  Montgomery  Streets,  near  Market, 
also  up  and  down  Market,  and  see  the  finest  re- 
tail stores,  and  look  at  new  buildings,  or  even  to 
climb  up  California  Street  to  Highland  Terrace, 
and  see  some  of  the  finest  private  residences  in 
the  city,  among  which  D.  I).  Colton's  and  Gov- 
ernor Stanford's  are  specially  notable,  the  former 
on  the  north  side  of  California  Street,  the  latter 
fronting  on  Powell  at  the  corner  of  California. 

A  pleasant  place  to  visit  is  also  the  Mercantile 
Library  on  Bush  Street,  opposite  the  Cosmopoli- 
tan Hotel.  Strangers,  properly  introduced,  are 
granted  the  privilege  of  the  library  and  reading- 
room  free  for  a  month,  and  odd  hours  can  be  put 
in  there  very  pleasantly,  especially  in  the  read- 


269 


ing-room,  which  is  light,  cheerful,  and  supplied 
with  the  best  papers,  magazines  and  reviews  of 
this  and  other  lands. 

Another  day  one  can  go  to  Oakland  early,  take 
a  carriage  at  Broadway  Station  and  ride  to  Berk- 
ley, Piedmont,  and  through  Brooklyn,  or  East 
Oakland,  along  Lake  Merritt,  up  and  down  streets 
and  around  the  city  at  pleasure.  Fine  houses, 
beautiful  grounds,  good  roads,  flowers,  shade  trees 
and  pleasant  sights  are  everywhere.  Return- 
ing to  the  city  in  season  for  the  4  p.  M.  boat  up 
the  Sacramento  River,  one  can  take  it  as  far  as 
Martinez,  a  2  1-2  or  3  hours'  ride,  and  see  the 
northern  part  of  San  Francisco  Bay,  San  Pablo 
Bay,  Benicia  and  Suisun  Bay,  leaving  the  boat 
at  Martinez  and  there  spending  the  night.  Early 
next  morning  a  stage  will  take  one  to  Mount 
Diablo,  and  three  hours  can  be  spent  on  its  sum- 
mit enjoying  as  fine  a  view  as  there  is  anywhere 
in  California,  after  which  the  boat  can  be  reached 
in  season  to  be  in  San  Francisco  for  the  night, 
or  one  can  stay  for  the  night  at  a  good  hotel 
near  the  summit,  see  the  sun  rise,  and  return  to 
San  Francisco  the  next  night.  The  fare  for  this 
round  trip  is  ten  dollars. 

Most  of  San  Francisco  has  now  been  seen.  It 
would  be  well  to  ride  through  Van  Ness  Avenue 
and  see  the  fine  residences  there ;  but  one  will 
begin  to  think  of  San  Jose,  Santa  Cruz,  the  Gey- 
sers, &c.  Another  forenoon  can  be  spent  pleas- 
antly in  the  city  by  taking  the  Central  line  of 
horse-cars  (cars  with  white  dashers)  through  the 
fast-growing  western  addition  to  the  city,  to  the 
end  of  the  route  at  Laurel  Hill  Cemetery,  and 
walking  about  there  for  an  hour.  Returning  by 
the  same  line  in  season  to  get  off  near  the  United 
States  Mint,  at  corner  of  5th  and  Market  Streets, 
by  11  A.  M.,  one  can  visit  that  institution,  which  is 
daily  open  for  visitors  until  noon.  In  the  after- 
noon, at  3.25,  one  may  go  to  San  Jose.  The 
route  leads  through  beautiful  villages,  some  of 
which  have  been  selected  for  the  residence,  most, 
if  not  all  the  year,  of  wealthy  gentlemen  of  San 
Francisco.  San  Jose  will  be  reached  in  season 
for  a  walk  or  ride  about  the  city.  The  Auzerais 
House  is  a  first-class  hotel,  and  carriages  can  be 
obtained  there  at  reasonable  rates.  The  Court- 
House  and  State  Normal  School  are  the  chief 
public  buildings.  General  Naglee's  grounds,  which 
are  open  to  visitors,  except  on  Sunday,  are  well 
worth  a  visit. 

If  time  allows,  one  may,  by  taking  a  private 
carriage,  go  to  the  New  Almaden  Quicksilver 
Mines,  enjoy  a  fine  ride,  gaze  upon  a  wide-spread- 
ing view  upon,  the  summit  of  the  hill,  in  which 
the  mines  are  situated,  see  the  whole  under- 
ground process  of  mining,  provided  the  superin- 
tendent will  grant  a  permit  to  enter  them,  which 
is  not  likely,  and  return  to  San  Jose  the  same 
day,  or  if  not  able  to  afford  time  for  this,  can  go 
over  to  Santa  Clara  by  horse-car,  through  the 
shady  Alameda,  three  miles  long,  laid  out  and 


planted,  in  1799,  by  the  Padres  of  the  mission, 
visit  the  two  colleges  there,  one  Methodist,  the 
other  Roman  Catholic,  and  return  in  season  for 
the  morning  train  to  Gilroy,  Watsonville,  etc., 
and  reach  Santa  Cruz  the  same  night ;  or,  if  time 
will  not  allow  of  doing  this,  he  may  spend  a  lit- 
tle more  time  at  San  Jose  and  Santa  Clara,  ride 
out  to  Alum  Rock  Springs,  through  the  Shaded 
Avenue,  the  prettiest  drive  in  the  State,  and, 
taking  the  afternoon  train,  reach  San  Francisco 
at  5.35  P.  M. 

Whoever  goes  to  Santa  Cruz  will  want  to  stay 
there  two  nights  and  a  day,  at  least,  and  there 
are  so  many  charming  rides  and  resorts  near  this 
watering-place  of  the  Pacific  Coast,  that  many 
days  can  be  spent  there  very  agreeably.  The 
trip  back  to  the  city,  unless  made  by  steamboat 
at  night,  which  can  be  done  sometimes,  and  is  a 
pleasant  variety  for  those  who  are  not  afraid  of 
a  short  exposure  to  ocean  waves  and  tossing,  will 
occupy  an  entire  day,  and  the  arrival  is  at  about 
5.30  P.  M. 

The  next  trip  will  naturally  be  to  the  Geysers 
and  Calistoga,  the  Petrified  Forest,  White  Sul- 
phur Spiings  at  St.  Helena,  etc.,  all  of  which  are 
passed  in  the  round  trip.  One  may  go  by  Cal- 
istoga, or  return  that  way,  as  he  prefers.  Steam- 
boats start  at  7  A.  M.  for  Vallejo,  and  at  8  for 
Donahue  Landing.  By  the  first  route,  one  con- 
nects with  cars  for  Calistoga,  and  by  the  second, 
for  Cloverdale,  and  from  each  place  stages  take 
one  to  the  Geysers  the  same  day.  After  seeing 
the  Geysers,  travelers  usually  go  on  so  as  to  re- 
turn to  San  Francisco  over  the  route  they  did 
not  take  coming  to  them,  two  days  being  required 
for  the  round  trip,  if  one  does  not  go  to  the 
White  Sulphur  Springs,  which  is  a  delightful 
place  to  spend  a  half-day,  nor  to  the  Petrified 
Forest,  which  is  reached  by  a  pleasant  ride  by 
private  conveyance  from  Calistoga,  and  is  a  very 
interesting  and  romantic  spot,  and  also  requires 
a  half  day.  To  visit  these  one  must  take  three 
days  for  the  round  trip.  The  fare  for  this  trip, 
not  including  the  carriage  to  the  Petrified  Forest, 
is  sixteen  dollars. 

As  the  time  of  tourists  is  variously  limited,  it 
is  well  to  say  that  the  time  required  for  all  the 
trips  above  described,  is  twelve  days,  allowing 
one  day  at  Santa  Cruz,  and  one  day  for  return- 
ing from  there  to  the  city.  Not  all  persons  have 
so  much  time  to  spend.  By  omitting  the  visit 
to  Santa  Cruz,  the  Petrified  Forest  and  White 
Sulphur  Springs,  one  may  save  four  days,  and 
by  omitting,  also,  the  trip  to  Mt.  Diablo,  the 
western  addition  to  the  city,  and  the  United 
States  Mint,  one  may  save  three  days  more,  start- 
ing for  the  Geysers,  after  spending  three  days  in 
the  city  and  seeing  the  Cliff  House,  Golden  Gate 
Park,  Woodward's  Gardens,  climbing  Telegraph 
Hill  and  Clay  Street  Hill,  seeing  the  Mission 
and  south-western  part  of  the  city,  and  passing 
most  of  a  day  in  Oakland.  Should  one  do  this, 


270 


it  would  be  well  to  fill  out  the  day  begun  in 
Oakland,  by  going  through  Van  Ness  Avenue, 
which  is,  and  long  will  be,  the  finest  street  for 
private  residences  in  the  city.  Two  days  more 
will  enable  one  to  visit  the  Geysers,  and  thus,  in 
five  days,  all  that  is  most  notable  in  and  about 
San  Francisco,  will  have  been  seen. 

Tourists  who  have  time  enough  for  it  will  find 
a  trip  to  Pescadero,  very  pleasant.  The  route  is 
by  stage  from  San  Mateo  or  Redwood  City,  on 
the  Southern  Pacific  Railroad,  across  the  Contra 
Costa  Range,  a  ride  very  well  paying  of  itself 
for  the  whole  cost  of  the  trip.  Pescadero  is  in  a 
narrow  valley,  about  three  miles  from  the 
famous  Pebble  Beach,  about  100  yards  long, 
which  gives  it  its  chief  attraction.  Most  home- 
like quarters  and  delightful  cooking  are  found 


Rain  falls  only  in  the  winter  half  of  the  year, 
and  does  not  much  exceed  one-half  of  the  amount 
in  the  same  latitude  on  the  Atlantic  shore,  and 
the  number  of  rainy  days  is  very  small,  since  it 
is  apt  to  rain  hard  if  it  rains  at  all.  The  atmos- 
phere in  winter  is  quite  moist,  and  though  it  is 
seemingly  dry  in  summer,  during  the  long  ab- 
sence of  rain,  pianos  and  furniture,  and  wood- 
work generally  do  not  shrink  as  in  many  places, 
owing,  doubtless,  to  the  prevailing  cool  winds 
from  the  ocean.  It  is  rarely  cold  enough  for 
frost ;  plumber's  work  needs  no  protection,  and 
hot  days  are  equally  rare,  occurring  only  when 
the  summer  ocean  winds  yield  for  two,  or  at  most 
three  days,  to  winds  from  over  parched  and  heated 
plains  to  the  north.  The  air  is  rarely  clear  so  as 
to  reveal  distinctly  the  outlines  of  hill  and  shore 


STREET  SCENE  IN   SAN  FEANCISCO. 


at  Swanton's,  and  one  will  be  taken  to  the  beach 
and  brought  back  from  it  at  hours  of  his  own 
choosing.  At  this  beach  one  will  linger  and 
linger,  picking  up-  finely-polished  pebbles,  many 
of  which  are  fit  to  be  set  as  jewels.  Pescadero 
may  be  reached  also  by  stage  from  Santa  Cruz, 
and  the  ride  along  the  coast  is  wild,  interesting, 
unique  and  full  of  interest.  The  time  required 
is  a  day,  whether  coming  from  San  Francisco  or 
Santa  Cruz,  and  the  same  to  return,  and  no  one 
will  spend  less  than  a  day  there,  so  that  to  see 
Pescadero  means  three  days,  and  there  are  few 
more  enjoyable  ways  to  spend  so  much  time. 

Climate. — The  climate  of  San  Francisco  is 
peculiar,  and  can  not  be  described  in  a  few 
words.  It  is  equable  on  the  whole,  there  being 
no  great  range  of  temperature,  and  the  difference 
between  that  of  winter  and  summer  being  small. 


across  the  bay,  a  misty  haze  like  that  of  eastern 
Indian  summer,  usually  prevailing.  After  rains, 
and  notably  after  frosts,  and  during  the  preva- 
lence of  winds  from  the  north  this  sometimes 
vanishes,  and  a  crystal  clearness  of  atmosphere 
succeeds,  in  which  Mount  Diablo  and  the  hills  of 
Contra  Costa  and  Alameda  stand  out  mellow  and 
clear  as  though  just  at  hand.  At  such  times, 
which  are  not  frequent,  and  at  others,  more  often, 
when  it  is  sunshiny  and  the  air  is  calm,  and 
the  haze  thin,  there  is  a  spring  and  vitality  and 
exhilaration  in  the  air,  and  beauty  in  all  out- 
door nature  not  often  surpassed.  Something  of 
this  is  realized  in  the  early  part  of  most  summer 
days,  if  fog  does  not  hang  over  the  city.  As  the 
day  advances,  the  wind  from  the  ocean  rises  and 
pours  in  mightily,  cold  and  fierce — a  bane  and  a 
blessing  at  once  ;  a  bane  because  it  destroys  all 


271 


enjoyment  of  out-door  existence,  but  a  blessing 
because  bearing  away  noxious  exhalations,  and 
securing  health  even  to  the  most  crowded  and 
neglected  quarters  and  thoroughfares. 

There  are  few  days  in  San  Francisco  when  it 
is  safe  to  dispense  with  outer  wrappings,  and 
when  a  fire  is  not  needed  morning  and  evening, 
both  for  health  and  comfort,  and  fewer  yet  when 
a  room  with  the  sun  shining  into  it  is  not  amply 
warm  enough  while  it  shines.  Sunshine  is 
therefore  earnestly  coveted,  and  many  are  the 
regrets  of  those  who  do  not  enjoy  it.  It  is  rare 
for  persons  to  seek  the  shady  side  of  the  street, 
instinct  suggests  the  contrary.  Rooms  are  ad- 
vertised as  sunny,  and  many  are  so  described 
which  are  sunny  only  a  small  part  of  the  day. 
But  whether  the  sun  shines  or  not,  it  is  never 
safe  to  sit  by  open  windows  or  on  door-steps 
without  shawls,  hats,  or  overcoats.  Strangers  do 
it  sometimes,  but  never  do  it  very  long.  San 
Francisco  is  not  the  place  for  out-door  pleasur- 
ing. Bright  and  sunshiny  and  beautiful  as  it 
often  is  without  doors,  one  prefers  to  look  upon 
it  from  within,  and  if  deciding  to  go  out  must 
wrap  up  almost  as  for  a  winter  ride  or  walk  in 
the  older  States. 

San  Francisco  has  few  pleasure  resorts.  Seal 
Rocks,  at  the  mouth  of  the  Golden  Gate,  attract 
many  to  ride  to  the  Cliff  House,  and  gaze  at  sea- 
lions  gamboling  and  snorting  and  basking  on  its 
sides.  It  is  a  beautiful  ride  thence  south  on  the 
beach  a  couple  of  miles  to  the  Ocean  House,  and 
thence  back  to  the  city  by  Lake  Merced. 
Golden  Gate  Park  is,  however,  the  chief  resort 
for  pleasure.  It  is  new,  and  its  charms  and 
beauty  are  still  in  the  future,  but  much  has 
been  done  already,  and  the  promise  for  time  to 
come  is  ample.  The  reclamation  of  sand  wastes 
and  dunes  by  planting  yellow  lupin  and  their 
conversion  into  beautiful  grass-plots  is  a  notable 
feature  of  the  success  already  attained,  which 
elicits  the  admiration  of  all  who  contrast  what 
they  see  in  the  park  with  the  proof  of  what  it 
was  once,  shown  in  the  still  shifting  sands 
around  it.  The  park  embraces  about  1,100  acres, 
and  when  the  thousands  and  ten  thousands  of 
trees  planted  in  it  have  gained  their  growth, 
which  they  are  doing  almost  too  fast  for  belief, 
and  other  improvements  in  progress  are  carried 
out,  it  will  rank  among  the  most  attractive  and 
admired  city  parks  on  the  Continent.  It  is 
reached  by  several  streets  leading  west  from  Mar- 
ket, but  most  of  the  many  drivers  and  riders 
who  resort  there  find  their  way  either  by  Turk, 
Tyler  or  McAllister  Streets. 

A  favorite  resort  is  also  Woodward's  Gardens. 
They  are  private  property,  and  a  quarter  of  a  dollar 
is  charged  for  entrance.  It  is  a  pleasant  place 
to  pass  a  half  day  visiting  the  collection  of 
various  living  animals  and  birds,  among  which 
are  camels  born  in  the  garden,  and  sea-lions 
caught  in  the  Pacific,  and  paid  for  at  the  rate 


of  seventy-five  cents  a  pound.  One  big  fellow,  a 
captive  for  seven  years,  has  grown  to  weigh  over 
a  ton.  Sea-lions  can  be  better  studied  at  Wood- 
ward's than  at  Seal  Rock,  especially  at  the  hour 
they  are  fed,  when  they  do  some  fearful  leaping 
and  splashing.  There  are  fine  collections  also  of 
stuffed  birds,  and  other  curiosities,  hot-houses 
with  tropical  plants,  aquaria  not  surpassed  on 
this  Continent,  a  skating  rink,  arid  many  other 
attractive  features.  The  grounds  are  spacious 
and  well  sheltered,  and  a  pleasanter  spot  cannot 
be  found  within  the  city  limits  for  whiling  away 
a  few  hours.  The  city  line  of  horse-cars  leads 
to  the  gardens  from  Market  Street  Ferry  by  two 
routes  for  part  of  the  distance,  both  joining  on 
Mission  Street,  on  which  the  gardens  front. 
They  cover  over  six  acres,  and  almost  every 
taste  can  be  suited  somewhere  in  them.  The 
active  and  jolly  can  resort  to  the  play-ground 
and  gymnasium,  and  those  who  like  quiet,  will 
find  shady  nooks  and  walks ;  those  fond  of  sights 
and  curiosities  can  spend  hours  in  the  various 
cabinets,  and  those  who  like  to  study  mankind, 
can  gaze  on  the  groups  standing  around,  and 
streaming  passers-by.  Through  the  whole  sea- 
son, from  April  to  November,  it  is  always  genial 
and  sunny,  and  enjoyable  there. 

Pleasure  Resorts  of  California. 

Mineral  Springs. — California  possesses  an 
abundance  of  hot  and  mineral  springs.  Those 
most  numerous  are  sulphur,  both  hot  and  cold. 
Of  hot  springs,  the  most  frequented  are  Paso 
Robles  in  S.  Luis  Obispo  Co.,  143  miles  by  rail- 
road and  99  by  stage  from  San  Francisco,  Gil- 
roy  Hot  Springs,  14  miles  from  the  town  of  Gil- 
roy,  81  miles  south  from  San  Francisco  on  the 
Southern  Pacific  Railroad,  and  Calistoga,  at  the 
terminus  of  the  Napa  Branch  of  the  California 
Pacific  Railroad,  66  miles  north  from  San  Fran- 
cisco. Their  waters  are  much  used,  both  for 
drinking  and  bathing,  with  good  repute  for  cura- 
tive results.  What  are  called  mud  baths  are 
taken  at  Calistoga  and  Paso  Robles,  and  many 
other  places.  There  is  nothing  so  muddy  about 
them  as  one  w^ild  fancy  from  the  name,  except 
at  Paso  Robles.  They  are  simply  baths  taken 
in  the  spring  itself  just  as  it  bubbles  out  of  the 
ground,  holding  all  its  peculiar  virtues  unim- 
paired. At  Paso  Robles  the  mud  baths  are  a 
literal  plunging  in  thick  mud.  The  waters  of 
these  springs,  and  of  many  others,  must  be  used 
while  retaining  their  original  heat,  and  cannot 
be  bottled  to  any  purpose.  The  San  Jose  Warm 
Springs  are  only  two  hours  from  the  city,  but  are 
not  open  to  tourists. 

There  are  three  noted  springs  which  are  re- 
sorted to  by  health  and  pleasure  seekers,  whose 
waters  are  bottled  in  large  quantities.  These 
a»e  the  Napa  Soda  Springs,  near  Napa,  and  the 
Pacific  Congress  Springs,  in  the  Coast  Range,  10 
miles  from  Santa  Clara.  They  have  been  long 


273 


known,  and  are  very  freely  used  on  this  coast, 
especially  during  the  summer  months.  They 
are  bottled  by  machinery,  so  as  to  carry  their 
natural  volume  of  gas,  and  are  highly  recom- 
mended by  the  medical  faculty.  The  last  named 
is  on  account  of  its  natural  attractions  and  its 
accessibility,  being  only  4  hours'  ride  from  San 
Francisco,  a  very  favorite  summer  retreat  from 
the  city.  The  water  is  said  to  resemble  very 
closely  that  of  the  far-famed  Saratoga  Springs, 
after  which  it  is  named,  and  contains  a  larger 
proportion  of  mineral  contents  than  either  of  the 
others.  The  last  of  these,  not  yet  named,  is  that 
of  the  Litton  Seltzer  Springs,  near  Healdsburg, 
not  long  introduced  to  the  public,  but  coming 
fast  into  favor,  and  claimed,  not  only  to  equal, 
but  even  excel  the  far-famed  Congress  water. 

The  analysis  of  these  waters  gives  the  follow- 
in^  results  : 


NAP  A  SODA. 


Bicarbonate  Soda, 
Carbonate   Magnesia 
Carbonate  Lime, 
Chloride  Sodium, 
Sub -Carbon  Iron, 
Sulphate  Soda,  . 
Siltoious  Acid,    . 
Alumina,  .    .    . 
Loss,      .... 


GRAINS 
IN  A 

GALLON. 
13.12 

26.12 
10.88 
520 
7.84 
1.84 
0.68 


68.76 


PACIFIC  CONGRESS. 


Chloride  Sodium, 
Sulphate  Soda,  . 
Carbonate  Soda, 
Iron, 

"  Lime, 

Silica  Alumina     and 
trace  Magnesia, 


119.159 
12.140 

123.351 
14.030 
17.295 

49.882 
335.857 


GRAINS 
LITTON  SELTZER.        IX  A 

GALLON. 

Carbo'ic  Acid  (comb.),      42.76 

Chlorine 78.38 

2.36 
2.02 
2.85 
4.41 
5.24 
62.19 


Sulphate  Acid,  . 
Silicic  Acid,  .    . 
Oxide  Iron,    .    . 
Lime,     .... 
Magnesia, .    .    . 
Soda,     .... 
Alumina, 
Ammonia, 
Potash, 
Lithiii, 

Boraeic  Acid, 
Organic  matter, 


27.38 


227.59 


The  quantity  of  free  carbonic  acid  in  the  Lit- 
ton Seltzer,  which  escapes  on  standing,  is  383.75 
grains  per  gallon.  This  large  quantity  of  gas 
is  very  pleasant  to  the  taste,  and  tests  severely 
the  strength  of  bottles,  which  sometimes  explode 
even  in  a  cool  place. 

The  Paso  Roble  Springs  (the  name  means 
Pass  of  Oaks)  most  used,  have  been  analyzed 
with  the  following  result : 

MAIN  HOT  SULPHUR  SPRING.        MUD  SPRING. 

Temperature  110,  122  degrees. 

One  imperial  gallon  con- 
tains, Sulphurated  Hy- 
drogen Gas 4.55  3.28  inches. 

Free  Carbonic  Acid,     .    .  10.50  47.84       " 

Sulphate  Lime 3.21  17.90  grains. 

Sulphate  Potash,      ...       88  traces. 

Sulphate  Soda,     ....    7.85  41.11 

Perox  Iron 36 

Alumina 22 

Silicia, 44  1.11 

Bicarbonate  Magnesia,    .       92  Carbon.  Mag.,  3  10 

Bicarbonate  Soda,    .    .    .  50.74  Carbon.  Soda,  5.21 

Chloride  Sodium,     .    .    .  27.18  96.48 

lodi'e  and  Bromide  trac's 

Organic  Matter 64  3.47 


Total  solid  contents,    .  93.44  168.38 

The  Mud  Spring  contains  also  alumina  and 
protoxide  of  iron.     There  are  also  three  cold  sul- 

18 


phur  springs  and  three  other  hot  springs,  the  hot- 
test of  the  temperature  of  140  degrees.  There  is, 
also,  a  chalybeate  spring.  Paso  Robles  is  re- 
sorted to  with  good  results  by  persons  suffering 
from  rheumatism,  cutaneous  diseases,  and  some 
constitutional  disorders.  They  are  no  place  for 
consumptives. 

There  are  many  other  springs  besides  those 
named.  Near  Lake  Tahoe,  are  Soda  Springs. 
Near  Vallejo  and  at  St.  Helena,  are  White  Sul- 
phur Springs.  In  Sonoma  County,  are  Skaggs 
Hot  Springs,  and  at  Santa  Barbara  are  springs 
much  resembling  those  at  Paso  Robles.  The 
Bartlett  Springs  are  a  delightful  resort,  and  will 
amply  pay  for  the  time  and  cost  going  to  them. 
They  are  reached  by  stage  from  Calistoga  on  the 
arrival  of  the  morning  train  from  San  Francisco, 
going  on  35  miles  to  Clear  Lake,  which  is  crossed 
by  steamer,  and  a  ride  of  six  miles  then  brings 
one  at  evening  to  the  springs.  The  ride  is  one 
of  the  most  beaatif  ul  in  California. 

The  Geysers. — Tourists  will  find  the  trip  to 
the  Geysers,  the  most  interesting  and  easy  of 
all  the  short  excursions  in  the  State.  It  is  well 
to  go  by  one  route  and  return  via  another.  The 
North  Pacific  Railroad  via  steamer  by  Donahue 
City,  will  give  a  delightful  sail  through  the  bay. 
Neat  cars  will  convey  the  passengers  to  Clover- 
dale,  where  stages  are  taken  for  the  Geysers. 
The  ride  to  the  Geysers  is  over  a  splendid  road, 
amid  beautiful  mountain  scenery,  and  occasion- 
ally there  are  examples  of  fine  driving  of  the 
stage-teams.  One  day  at  the  Geysers  is  usually 
enough,  and  the  visitor  will  find  it  absolutely 
necessary  to  rise  as  early  as  5  or  6  A.  M.,  to  see 
the  finest  display  of  steam  from  the  Geysers. 

The  ground  literally  boils  and  bubbles  under 
the  feet.  There  are  devil's  inkstands,  and  cal- 
drons, and  tea-kettles,  and  whistles  enough  to 
overwhelm  eyes,  ears,  smell,  taste  and  touch  with 
horrid  reminiscences.  Yet  so  great  is  the  curios- 
ity it  should  not  be  missed.  Neither  must  the 
traveler  omit  the  enjoyment  of  the  natural 
steam  bath,  the  sensation  on  emerging  from 
which  is  most  delicious.  From  the  Geysers  to 
Calistoga,  the  celebrated  Foss  drives  a  crack 
stage,  and  usually  has  his  spanking  team  of  six- 
in-hand.  Reports  are  strong  as  to  his  fearless 
driving,  but  a  glance  at  the  way  he  beautifully 
manages  his  leaders  and  wheelers,  gives  no  one  any 
anxiety  as  to  safety.  The  stage  route  is  over 
very  great  heights,  up  the  side  of  long  mount- 
ains, from  the  summits  of  which  the  views  are 
glorious,  probably  to  many,  more  enjoyable  than 
the  Geysers. 

The  tourist  must  not  fail,  as  he  returns  to  San 
Francisco,  to  stop  at  Calistoga  and  visit  the  Pet- 
rified Forest — the  best  collection  we  know ;  and 
even  a  few  days'  tour  to  Lake  County  and  the 
famous  soda  and  borax  deposits  will  be  well 
spent.  From  Calistoga  to  Vallejo,  stop  at  Napa 
and  take  stage  to  the  famous  vineyards  of  So- 


274 


noma,  and  see  grape  raising  in  perfection  ;  also 
visit  the  Spout  Farm  and  the  Soda  Springs. 
From  Vallejo,  go  to  Benicia,  8  miles  and  visit 
the  fort,  where  often  there  are  seen  charming 
displays  of  flowers.  Then  cross  to  Martinez,  by 
ferry,  and  visit  the  fruit  orchards  of  Dr.  Strentzel, 
where  oranges  and  pears  and  peaches  and  ap- 
ples grow  side  by  side,  and  twine  their  branches 
together, — probably  the  choicest  fruit  orchard  in 
the  State.  From  here  ascend  Mount  Diablo 
and  remain  over  night,  witnessing  the  sunrise 
scene  on  all  the  great  valleys  and  the  bay  spread 
out  so  grandly  before  you.  Descending,  the 
traveler  will  return  to  Vallejo,  and  thence  by 
steam  through  the  bay  to  San  Francisco.  The 
cost  of  this  trip  will  be,  for  round  trip  ticket,  $16 
to  Geysers  and  return.  Extra  for  trip  to  Mount 
Diablo,  about  $8.  Board  per  day,  in  absence,  $3 
gold.  Time  for  whole  trip,  about  one  week. 

Hints  to  Invalids. — California  has  been 
the  scene  of  many  remarkable  recoveries  of 
health,  and  of  many  sore  disappointments  to  in- 
valids who  thought  that  coming  to  this  coast 
would  insure  them  a  new  lease  of  life.  There 
is  no  doubt  that  a  judicious  availing  of  its  pecu- 
liar climatic  features  is  highly  useful  in  many 
cases,  and  it  is  equally  certain  that  an  arbitrary 
resort  to  them  may  even  hasten  the  end  which 
one  seeks  to  avert. 

A  consumptive  patient  should  never  come  to 
San  Francisco  expecting  benefit  from  its  climate. 
Cold  winds  from  the  Pacific,  often  loaded  with 
fog,  prevail  eight  or  nine  months  in  the  year,  for 
a  good  part  of  the  day,  and  make  warm  wrap- 
pings necessary  for  well  persons.  When  these 
trade-winds  cease,  the  rainy  season  then  commen- 
ces, variable  and  uncertain,  often  very  damp  and 
chilly,  the  sky  sometimes  clouded  for  days  in 
succession.  In  the  interval  between  rains  and 
summer  winds,  both  spring  and  autumn,  there  is 
a  period  of  variable  duration,  when  the  sky  is 
often  clear,  the  air  balmy,  the  sun  genial,  and 
everything  in  the  outer  world  is  charming  and 
exhilarating ;  but  this  period  is  not  sufficiently 
fixed  to  be  counted  on,  and  is  liable  to  be  inhos- 
pitably broken  upon  by  raw  winds,  and  chilly, 
foggy  days. 

The  cause  which  thus  unfavorably  affects  the 
climate  of  San  Francisco  in  so  marked  a  degree, 
spread  out  as  it  is  along  the  Golden  Gate,  the 
only  interruption  for  hundreds  of  miles  to  the 
lofty  Coast  Range,  erected  as  a  barrier  between 
the  cold,  foggy  ocean  on  one  hand,  and  the 
spreading  central  basin,  gleaming  bright  and  hot 
with  sunshine  on  the  other,  affects  in  some  de- 
gree many  other  places  along  the  sea-coast.  At  a 
sufficient  distance  inland,  the  ocean  breezes  are 
tempered,  and  there  are  places  hear  the  sea-shore 
where  the  trend  of  the  coast  and  outjutting 
headlands  break  the  force  of  the  trade-winds, 
and  give  delightful  shelter  from  them.  It  is  this 
circumstance  which  gives  to  Santa  Barbara  its 


celebrity.  It  lies  on  a  bay  facing  to  the  south, 
the  usual  coast-line  facing  south-west,  and  is  in 
the  lee  of  Point  Conception,  a  bold  headland 
which  turns  away  from  it  most  of  the  cold  ocean 
winds.  San  Rafael,  near  San  Francisco,  nestles 
under  the  lee  of  Tamalpais  and  adjacent  hills, 
and  is  also  sheltered.  In  a  direct  line,  it  is  not 
over  six  or  seven  miles  from  San  Francisco,  and 
yet,  when  it  is  foggy  or  unutterably  windy  in 
the  city,  it  is  often  warm,  clear  and  still  there. 

The  consumptive  patient  should  carefully  avoid 
exposure  to  the  trade-winds  by  seeking  some 
resort  sheltered  from  them,  or  which  they  reach 
after  being  thoroughly  tempered  by  inland  travel. 
Neglect  to  heed  this  caution  is  the  reason  of 
many  fatal  disappointments  experienced  by  Cali- 
fornia visitors  seeking  health. 

In  the  summer  season,  beyond  the  range  of  the 
ocean  trade-winds,  the  choice  between  locations 
for  invalids  in  California  will  be  governed  as 
much  by  other,  as  their  climatic  advantages. 
Ease  of  access,  hotel  and  boarding-house  accom- 
modations, social  advantages,  sources  for  amuse- 
ment, comparative  expense,  are  the  considerations 
that  will  chiefly  weigh  in  deciding  the  question. 
Sunshine  will  be  found  everywhere;  the  days, 
however  hot,  are  always  followed  by  cool  nights ; 
there  are  no  storms,  no  sudden  changes,  the  air 
is  dry  and  clear  and  life-inspiring. 

In  winter  it  is  desirable  to  go  well  south,  where 
there  is  little  rain  and  little  cold  weather,  though 
even  at  San  Diego,  almost  at  the  Mexican  line, 
a  fire  is  very  comfortable  sometimes,  as  the  wri- 
ter experienced  one  10th  of  January,  much  to 
the  surprise  of  some  eastern  invalids  who  arrived 
there  with  him.  It  will  be  wise  for  invalids  to 
consult  the  physician  best  acquainted  with  the 
place  they  may  choose,  and  carefully  heed  his  ad- 
vice about  exposure,  clothing,  wrappings  and  the 
like.  Every  place  has  climatic  features  of  its  own, 
knowledge  of  which  is  gained  only  by  experience 
and  is  of  great  value. 

The  following  places,  are  known  as  health  re- 
sorts, and  each  has  attractive  and  valuable  fea- 
tures of  its  own :  San  Rafael  near  San  Fran- 
cisco, and  Stockton  in  the  San  Joaquin  Valley, 
Santa  Barbara  and  San  Diego  on  the  southern 
coast,  Paso  Robles  north  from  Santa  Barbara, 
and  back  from  the  coast,  a  beautiful  spot  noted 
for  sulphur  baths;  San  Bernardino  north-east 
from  San  Diego,  and  some  distance  from  the 
coast,  and  fast  coming  into  favor  as  it  becomes 
more  accessible  and  better  known.  Gilroy  Hot 
Springs,  14  miles  from  Gilroy,  on  the  Southern 
Pacific  Railroad,  30  miles  south  of  San  Jose,  is 
a  favorite  resort.  It  is  in  the  hills  of  the  Coast 
Range,  and  has  good  accommodations  for  vis- 
itors. Calistoga,  at  the  terminus  of  the  Napa 
Branch  of  the  California  Pacific  Railroad,  at 
the  foot  of  Mount  St.  Helena,  abounds  in  hot 
springs,  and  is  resorted  to  for  its  baths  of  various 
kinds.  On  the  railroad  going  to  Calistoga  the 


275 


White  Sulphur  Springs  are  passed  at  a  distance 
of  two  miles.  They  are  much  frequented,  but 
rather  by  visitors  seeking  summer  recreation 
than  by  health  seekers. 

The  best  place  for  the  consumptive  patient  is 
regarded  by  some  good  judges  to  be  on  an  eleva- 
tion among  the  hills  of  the  Coast  Range  in  sum- 
mer, where  the  change  of  temperature  will  be 
only  a  few  degrees,  and  in  Southern  California, 
a  little  back  from  the  coast  in  winter.  In  such 
an  equable  climate,  the  patient  can  camp  out, 
and  keep  in  the  open  air,  which  is  the  best  pos- 
sible restorative.  , 

The  climate  of  San  Francisco,  which  induces 
no  perspiration,  and  by  dampness  aggravates 
rheumatic  and  neuralgic  affections,  is  the  most 
favorable  in  the  world  for  mental  invigoration 
and  work. 

Malaria  is  found  in  all  the  lowlands,  and 
often  among  the  foot  hills,  but  elevated  places 
are  entirely  free  from  it. 

In  short,  there  is  such  a  variety  of  climate 
within  a  day's  reach  of  San  Francisco  that  the 
invalid  may  be  sure  of  finding,  somewhere  on 
the  Pacific  Coast,  whatever  natural  advantage 
will  be  most  beneficial  to  his  case. 

California  Pacific  Railroad. 

On  the  California  Pacific  Railroad  two  trains 
leave  Sacramento  daily  for  San  Fi'ancisco,  one 
at  6.30  A.  M.,  and  one  4  p.  M.  This  is  the  short- 
est and  favorite  route  between  the  capital  and 
metropolis,  and  will  no  doubt  ere  long  be  the 
principal  line  over  which  the  Overland  Express 
Train  will  pass. 

The  train  crosses  the  river  by  means  of  a  "Y" 
and  the  Sacramento  &  Yolo  bridge.  Directly  op- 
posite Sacramento  is  the.  village  of  Washington, 
protected  by  a  high  levee,  but  retarded  in  growth 
by  the  toll  for  crossing  the  river.  Along  the  river 
bank  is  a  narrow  strip  of  land  sufficiently  elevated 
for  farming — but  the  train  is  soon  beyond 
this  on  trestle-work,  or  a  high  embankment 
crossing  the  tules.  On  this  narrow  strip  the 
ubiquitous  pea-nut  and  chickory  grow  to  perfec- 
tion. No  pea-nut  surpasses  these  in  size  or  flavor, 
and  the  chickory  commands  a  price  equal  to  the 
German.  Coffee  men  consider  it  of  superior 
quality,  and  the  traveler  will  find  it  abundant 
in  the  pure  coffee  of  all  the  hotels  in  the  interior. 

The  tule  land  is  the  richest  in  the  State — a  fine 
vegetable  mold  and  deposit  from  the  winter 
floods.  Many  square  miles  of  it  up  and  down 
the  river  await  reclamation,  and  much  has  been 
reclaimed.  It  will  be  difficult  to  reclaim  the 
great  extent  of  it  now  before  the  eye,  because  on 
the  right  of  the  railroad  and  several  miles  up  the 
river,  the  waters  of  Cache  Creek  spread  out  and 
sink,  and  on  the  left  the  waters  of  Putah  Creek 
are  also  emptied,  and  high  levees  would  be  re- 
quired to  carry  off  so  much  water.  These  tules 
are  the  temporary  abode  of  some,  and  the  perma- 


nent abode  of  other  varieties  of  wild  fowl,  and 
the  happy  hunting  grounds  for  many  a  Nimrod. 
After  the  first  rains  come,  the  geese  arrive,  the 
white  brant  coming  first  and  in  largest  numbers. 
Three  varieties  are  common,  the  white  and 
speckled  breasted  brant,  and  the  hawnker.  Acres 
of  the  ground,  where  the  dry  tule  has  been  burned 
off  and  the  young  grass  has  sprouted  are  covered 
with  the  geese,  and  sometimes  they  are  like  a 
great  cloud  in  the  air,  and  their  noise  heard 
for  a  mile  or  more. 

The  varieties  of  the  duck  are  many,  but  the 
mallard,  sprig  tail,  canvas-back,  and  teal  are 
most  esteemed.  It  is  an  easy  and  pleasant  task 
for  one  acquainted  with  the  flight  of  the  ducks 
to  bring  down  from  twenty  to  a  hundred  in  a 
single  day,  besides  more  geese  than  he  is  willing 
to  "  pack."  About  five  miles  from  Sacramento 
is  an  island  (of  a  hundred  acres,  dry  and  grassy) 
where  two  or  three  days  camping  may  be  en- 
joyed by  a  lover  of  the  sport. 

When  the  Sacramento  overflows  its  banks  and 
the  creeks  are  high,  the  tules  are  hidden  by  the 
water,  and  if  the  wind  blows,  this  region  is  like 
an  open  sea.  Frequently  the  road-bed  has  been 
washed  away,  and  now  it  is  protected  by  an 
inclined  breakwater  and  young  willows.  It  has 
been  generally  but  erroneously  supposed  tha; 
hogs  and  the  Chinamen  feed  on  the  tule  roots. 

The  bulbous  root  they  eat  is  called  by  the 
Chinese  "  Foo  tau,"  and  is  imported  largely  from 
China,  where  it  grows  to  a  greater  size  than  in 
this  country.  Across  the  tules  at  Swingle's 
Ranche  is  a  side  track  and  flag  station. 

Davisville — is  13  miles  nearly  due  west  of 
Sacramento,  has  a  population  of  300,  all  gath- 
ered since  the  building  of  the  railroad,  and 
has  two  stores,  a  dozen  saloons,  four  restaurants, 
and  a  Presbyterian,  a  Methodist  Episcopal,  and 
a  Roman  Catholic  Church.  About  the  same  pro- 
portion of  saloons  to  the  population  holds  good 
over  California,  but  that  of  churches  does  not, 
But  "  Davisville  is  not  an  immoral  place,  for  the 
liquor  is  all  sold  to  non-residents" 

In  1862  land  was  worth  from  $6  to  $10  per 
acre,  and  now  sells  at  $75  to  $100. 

Near  Davisville  are  large  orchards,  "  Brigg's  " 
covering  400  acres,  and  the  "  Silk  Ranche  "  or- 
chard 250  acres,  but  in  dry  seasons  the  quantity 
and  quality  of  the  fruit,  is  greatly  impaired  by 
the  want  of  irrigation. 

The  failure  of  silk  culture  was  largely  owing 
to  the  hot  winds  from  the  north,  killing  the 
worms.  Attention  to  fruit  culture,  has  demon- 
strated the  necessity  of  allowing  nothing  to  grow 
between  the  trees.  Nor  are  the  trees  trimmed 
so  high  up  as  in  the  Eastern  States.  Alfalfa 
has  yielded  in  one  season,  $55  worth  of  hay  to 
the  acre. 

At  Davisville  the  railroad  to  San  Francisco, 
turns  directly  to  the  south,  and  a  branch  runs 
north  to  Woodland  and  Knight's  Landing. 


276 


Woodland  is  a  town  of  1,000  inhabitants,  and 
9  miles  from  Davisville.  Near  Woodland  the 
road  branches  to  the  northern  part  of  the  valley 
of  the  Sacramento,  but  is  not  yet  opened  for 
business. 

Knight's  Landing  is  on  the  Sacramento  River, 
and  this  railroad  formerly  continued  on  north- 
ward to  Marysville,  until  the  flood  of  1872  de- 
stroyed the  embankment  for  miles. 

Continuing  south  from  Davisville,  Putah 
Creek  is  crossed  near  Davisville,  a  dry  channel 
in  summer,  and  a  torrent  in  winter ;  and  4  miles 
south  is 

Foster, — a  side  track,  and  4.17  miles  farther, 

Dixon — is  reached.  It  has  a  large  grain 
trade  from  the  surrounding  country,  a  Congre- 
gational, a  Methodist  and  a  Baptist  Church ; 
several  hotels  and  a  block  or  two  of  good  stores. 
Since  the  completion  of  the  railroad  the  town 
of  Silveyville,  about  three  miles  distant,  has 
been  moved  bodily  to  Dixon.  Farther  south 
3.27  miles,  is 

Batavia, — a  village  in  a  promising  region, 
with  a  large  grain  trade,  a  hotel  and  several 
stores,  and  next  south  4.83  miles,  is 

Elmira, — formerly  called  Vaca  Junction,  the 
junction  of  the  Elmira  and  Vacaville  Railroad,  ex- 
tending to  Vacaville  five  miles,  and  Winters  17 
miles.  Fare  to  Vacaville  50  cents,  and  Winters 
$1.70.  South  from  Elmira  3.96  miles  is 

Ctinnon'Sf — a  large  ranch e,  and  C.55  miles 
farther  is 

Fail-field  and  Suisun  City. — The  former 
is  on  the  right-hand  side  of  the  road,  and  the 
other  on  the  left.  Fail-field  is  the  county-seat 
of  Solano  County,  and  Suisun  the  post-office  and 
business  center.  Fail-field  has  a  Methodist  Epis- 
copal Church,  and  Suisun  a  Protestant  Episcopal, 
a  Cumberland  Presbyterian  and  a  Methodist 
Episcopal.  Suisun  is  at  the  head  of  Sui- 
sun Slough,  navigable  for  small  sloops  and 
steamers,  and  on  the  edge  of  a  large  tract  of  tule 
land.  Its  streets  are  subject  to  a  slight  overflow 
during  heavy  rains,  when  its  adobe  soil  is  a 
very  tenacious  friend  to  one's  feet.  The  hills 
which  have  been  approaching  closer  and  closer 
since  we  left  Sacramento — one  of  the  numerous 
ridges  of  the  Coast  Range  are  now  not  far  off,  and 
to  avoid  the  grades  in  crossing  them,  a  new  road 
will  soon  be  built  along  the  edge  of  the  "  swamp 
and  overflowed  "  land  to  Benicia,  on  the  straits  of 
Carquinez,  and  crossing  these  will  continue 
along  the  east  side  of  the  San  Pablo  Bay  and 
Bay  of  San  Francisco,  to  Oakland  Wharf  and 
form  part  of  the  Overland  Route. 

Before  reaching  the  next  station,  a  small  spur 
of  the  Suscol  Hills  is  tunneled,  and  to  the  right 
from 

Bridr/eport,—5A5  miles  from  Suisun,  and 
other  points,  may  be  seen  fertile  valleys  in  which 
the  earliest  fruits  of  the  State  are  grown.  In 
Green  Valley  — one  of  these,  sheltered  from 


wind  and  free  from  fog,  fruits  and  vegetables 
ripen  sooner  than  in  the  paradise  of  Los  Angeles, 
about  400  miles  south. 

The  tourist  will  be  struck  with  the  rolling 
character  of  the  farming  land,  when  he  sees  the 
highest  hill-tops  covered  with  golden  grain  or 
thick  stubble.  The  soil  is  the  rich  adobe,  the 
best  adapted  to  dry  seasons,  and  rarely  found  cov- 
ering such  hills.  The  crops  are  brought  off  on 
sleds. 

Ci'eston, — the  summit,  is  3.84  miles  from 
Bridgeport,  and  simply  a  flag  station.  Soon 
•after  passing  it,  the  Napa  Valley  lies  below  on 
the  right,  but  almost  before  one  is  aware  of  it, 

Napa  Junction, — 3.65  miles  from  Creston, 
is  announced. 

Ifapa  Valley. 

Here  the  road  branches  through  Napa  Valley, 
one  of  the  loveliest  and  most  fruitful  of  the 
State.  It  is  enclosed  between  two  ridges  of  the 
Coast  Range,  one  of  which  separates  it  from  the 
Sacramento  and  the  other  from  the  Sonoma 
Valley.  Above  Calistoga,  Mount  Saint  Helena 
stands  like  a  great  sentinel  across  the  head  of 
the  valley.  The  land  is  among  the  best  in  the 
State,  and  fruit  growing  extensively  and  success- 
fully practiced. 

The  climate  is  well  tempered  and  the  season 
rare  when  crops  fail.  This  branch  is  a  part  of 
one  of  the  chief  routes  to  the  Geysers  and  other 
popular  resorts. 

The  first  station  north  from  the  Junction  is 
called 

Thompsont — from  the  owner  of  the  ranche 
and  orchard,  which  will  strike  the  observer  as 
closely  related  to  the  perfect  arrangement  and 
culture  of  the  farms  in  Chester  or  Cumberland 
Valley  of  Pennsylvania,  and  a  closer  inspection 
would  reveal  one  of  the  most  convenient  and 
complete  farm-houses  in  the  country.  Suscol, 
a  landing-place  and  ferry  on  the  Napa  River,  is 
near  by.  The  next  station  is  4.49  miles  farther 
north,  and  called 

Napa. — A  town  of  great  loveliness,  with  a 
population  of  5,000,  set  in  homes  embosomed  in 
fruits  and  flowers  —  a  town  not  surpassed  for 
beauty  of  situation  in  the  State,  and  rivaled  by 
San  Jose  only.  It  is  at  the  head  of  navigation 
for  steamers  of  light  draft  on  the  Napa  River, 
and  near  it  is  located  the  new  Branch  Insane 
Asylum,  erected  at  a  cost  of  more  than  a  million 
of  dollars.  The  public  schools  rank  high,  and 
there  are  also  four  colleges  and  seminaries  of 
high  order.  The  Register  is  a  daily  and  weekly 
newspaper,  and  the  Reporter,  a  weekly.  It  has 
two  good  hotels,  the  "  United  States,"  and  The 
Palace,  many  stores  of  high  order,  and  good  bank- 
ing facilities.  In  no  portion  of  the  State  is  soci- 
ety more  stable  and  cultivated.  The  churches 
are  imposing  and  well  attended.  The  Presbyte- 
rians have  the  largest,  most  convenient  and  taste- 


277 


ful  house  of  worship  outside  of  San  Francisco 
and  Oakland,  and  the  Methodists,  Baptists  and 
lioinan  Catholics  have  good  houses  also.  Daily 
stages  connect  with  the  morning  train  for  So- 
noiua.  Above  Napa,  5.45  miles,  is 

Oak  Knoll, — near  which  is  hidden  in  a  park 
of  evergreen  oaks,  the  pleasant  residence  of  It.  B. 
Woodward,  Esq.,  one  of  the  most  enterprising 
and  public-spirited  men  of  California,  near  which 
may  be  seen  his  orchard,  one  of  the  largest  and 
best  in  the  county. 

Yountville — is  3.45  miles  farther  north,  a  vil- 
lage with  about  300  inhabitants,  called  after  one 
of  the  early  settlers.  Near  the  depot  is  a  large 
vinery.  On  the  hill-sides  are  numerous  vineyards, 
and  in  the  village  a  Baptist  and  a  Congregational 
Church. 

St.  Helena — is  a  village  of  about  500  inhab- 
itants, surrounded  with  ranches  where  people  of 
culture  live  in  luxury,  and  two  miles  distant 
are  the  White  Sulphur  Springs.  Stages  for  the 
Springs  connect  with  every  train,  and  for  Knox- 
ville  in  Lake  County,  with  every  morning  train 
from  San  Francisco.  Presbyterians,  Baptists, 
and  Methodists  have  churches  here.  The  valley 
grows  narrower  until 

CaltKtoga,  —  is  reached,  with  a  population 
of  about  500,  and  two  hotels  —  one  the  "  Hot 
Springs." 

Here  are  hot  and  mud  baths,  and  from  Calis- 
toga  are  numerous  pleasant  drives,  especially  to 
the  Petrified  Forest,  five  miles  distant,  on  the  top 
of  the  ridge  lying  toward  the  ocean,  and  in  a 
sunken  part  of  the  high  table-land  where  there 
was  evidently  a  lake  after  trees  had  attained 
an  enormous  growth,  and  long  after  this  the 
waters  of  the  lake  discharged  by  some  sudden 
rupture  of  the  surrounding  wall.  The  mountain 
views,  hunting,  fishing  and  other  attractions, 
make  Calistoga  a  popular  resort,  and  the  recent 
discovery  of  many  quicksi  1  ver  and  silver  mines  has 
given  a  fresh  impetus  to  the  business  of  the  town. 

The  population  is  about  700,  but  varies  with 
the  summer  freighting  to  Lake  County.  Foss's 
line  of  stages  leaves  every  morning  during  the 
summer  for  the  Geysers,  and  stages  leave  daily 
on  arrival  of  morning  train  from  San  Francisco 
for  Bartlett's  and  other  resorts  of  Lake  County, 
continuing  toward  San  Francisco  on  the  main 
line. 

Vallejo. — The  pronunciation  of  this  Spanish 
word  is  Val-yay-ho,  and  the  town  was  named  in 
honor  of  an  old  family  still  residing  there. 

Just  before  approaching  the  town,  the  "  Or- 
phans' Home,"  set  upon  a  hill,  and  under  the 
auspices  of  the  I.  O.  Good  Templars,  attracts  at- 
tention. It  is  on  the  left-hand  side,  and  the  town 
on  the  right. 

At  the  depot,  street-cars  connect  with  all  the 
trains,  and  carriages  to  any  part  of  the  city  may 
be  had  for  "  four  bits  ;  "  the  "  bit "  being  equiv- 
alent to  the  old  New  York  shilling. 


The  station  for  the  town  is  called  North 
Vallejo,  to  distinguish  it  from  the  new  town  that 
has  grown  around  the  railroad  terminus,  one  mile 
south. 

Vallejo  was  for  a  while  the  capital  of  the  State. 
It  has  now  a  population  of  about  5,000,  and  de- 
rives much  of  its  business  from  the  United  States 
Navy  Yard  on  Mare  Island. 

It  has  a  Methodist,  a  Presbyterian,  a  Baptist 
and  a  Roman  Catholic  Church,  and  South  Vallejo 
has  also  a  Congregational  Church.  Vallejo  \\i\s  a 
stage  to  Benicia,  eight  miles,  and  the  steamer 
Parthenius  runs  daily  to  San  Francisco,  in  ad- 
dition to  the  steamers  that  connect  twice  a  day 
with  the  trains  on  the  California  Pacific  Rail- 
road. 

Its  wharves  are  in  deep  water,  and  at  them 
the  immense  quantities  of  grain  brought  from 
the  valleys  north,  are  loaded  direct  for  Liver- 
pool and  other  parts.  A  large  elevator — the 
only  one  tried  on  the  coast,  was  blown  down 
during  a  south-east  gale.  The  town  has  two 
newspapers,  the  Chronicle,  a  weekly,  and  the 
Independent,  a  daily.  At 

South  Vallejo, — 24  miles  from  San  Fran- 
cisco, passengers  are  transferred  to  a  steamer, 
and  by  it  transported  to  the  foot  of  Market 
Street,  in  San  Francisco. 

On  board  the  steamer  a  good  meal  may  be 
secured,  for  one  dollar  coin ;  and  a  trip  to  San 
Francisco,  for  which  an  hour  and  a  half,  or  two 
hours  will  be  necessary,  according  to  steam  and 
tide,  will  be  delightfully  occupied  with  the 
attractions  of  the  bay  and  the  bordering  hills. 
As  the  steamer  leaves  the  wharf,  the  view  of  the 
Navy  Yard  is  fine,  and  when  it  doubles  the  island, 
the  straits  of  Carquinez,  through  \\hich  the 
Sacramento  River  empties,  are  immediately  on 
the  left,  and  when  fairly  out  on  the  San  Pablo 
Bay.  by  looking  to  the  north,  the  town  of  Vallejo  on 
the  hill,  and  the  Navy  Yard  on  the  island,  appear 
to  be  one  city.  West  of  Vallejo  may  be  traced 
the  Napa  Valley,  and  farther  west,  the  Sonoma 
Valley,  so  famous  for  its  wines,  and  far  off  to 
the  north-west  the  Petaluma  Creek,  which  forms 
an  opening  to  the  Russian  River  Valley,  through 
which  the  North  Pacific  Railroad  runs  to  Clover- 
dale,  and  forms  a  pleasant  route  to  the  Geysers. 
These  valleys  are  parallel  to  each  other  but 
separated  by  lofty  ridges  of  the  Coast  Range. 

After  making  this  general  survey  of  the  north- 
ern end  of  the  bay  and  then  having  breakfast  or 
dinner,  one  will  be  in  sight  of  the  western  me- 
tropolis. The  city  comes  into  view  as  the  steam- 
er turns,  to  the  south-east,  around  a  point  of  land, 
off  which  are  the  "Two  Brothers,"  corresponding 
to  the  "  Two  Sisters "  on  the  west  side,  and 
enters  the  Bay  of  San  Francisco.  On  one  of  the 
Brothers  is  a  light-house  of  the  fifth  order,  and 
just  below  is  Red  Rock,  a  bold  and  pretty  land- 
mark. Off  to  the  right  is  Mt.  Tamalpais,  with  a 
shoot  for  lumber,  that  looks  like  a  swift  road  to 


278 


travel,  and  at  the  foot  of  the  mountain,  nestled 
in  a  deep  little  cove,  and  overlooking  the  sheltered 
waters  near  by,  is  San  Rafael,  the  home  of  some 
merchant  princes  of  San  Francisco,  and  the  resort 
of  many  invalids,  who  are  seeking  a  new  lease  of 
life  in  its  genial  clime.  On  the  point  of  land  just 
south  of  San  Rafael,  is  San  Quentin,  where  the 
State  has  a  large  boarding-house  and  workshop 
filled  with  unwilling  inmates. 

Farther  south-east  is  Angel  Island — separated 
from  the  promontory  of  the  coast  main-land  by 
Raccoon  Straits,  through  which  one  may  look 
into  the  Golden  Gate. 

The  island  is  a  military  reservation,  fortified 
strongly  on  the  south  and  south-west  parts,  with 
a  road  running  around  the  entire  island. 

Passing  the  island,  the  Golden  Gate  is  directly 


on  the  right,  and  Alcatraz,  a  naval  station,  mid- 
way across  it,  and  directly  in  front,  the  hills  of 
San  Francisco,  that  ought  to  have  been  terraced. 
On  the  east,  beginning  farther  north  are  Berk- 
ley, with  the  buildings  of  the  State  University; 
,and  Oakland,  the  city  of  residences,  and  gardens; 
Alameda,  of  like  character,  but  of  less   extent, 
and  more  live  oaks;  and  in  the  bay  the  Oakland 
Wharf  and  Goat  Island. 

Never,  except  during  severe  winter  storms,  or 
the  prevalence  of  heavy  fog,  is  the  navigation 
of  the  bay  unpleasant,  and  on  a  calm  morning 
when  the  waters  are  placid,  the  skies  Italian,  and 
the  mind  free  from  anxious  care,  the  bay  from 
Vallejo  to  San  Francisco  will  make  some  of  the 
brightest  and  most  lasting  impressions  of  the 
Golden  State. 


THE   CHINESE  IN  SAN  FRANCISCO. 


BY   F.    E.    SHEARER. 


These  queer  looking  people,  with  loose  gar- 
ments, umbrella  hats,  or  skull-caps,  rags  for 
hose,  pantaloons  made  ankle  tight  by  tapes ; 
wooden  shoes,  coppery  skin,  high  cheek-bones, 
almand  eyes,  half-shaved  heads,  jet  black  hair, 
and  dangling  pig-tail*,  are  the  hated  of  the 
Paddy,  the  target  of  hoodlums ;  the  field  of  the 
missionary,  the  bomb  for  the  politician  to  ex- 
plode, and  the  sinew  for  capital.  They  are 
called  the  essence  of  all  that  is  vicious,  villairi- 
ous,  and  certainly  are  opinionated.  They  are 
everywhere ;  even  the  boys  say  they  cannot  throw 
stones  without  hitting  them,  but  they  are  to  be 
best  seen  in  the  Chinese  quarters  of  San  Fran- 
cisco, from  Pacific  Street,  the  "  Barbary  Coast," 
to  Sacramento  Street,  and  from  Kearney  to 
Stockton,  five  squares  by  two,  in  the  heart  of 
the  oldest  part  of  the  city. 

Although  in  every  block,  and  near  every  door, 
their  special  quarter  is  almost  like  a  city  of  the 
''Middle  Flowery  Kingdom"  set  right  down  in 
our  midst.  Streets  and  alleys,  and  labyrinthian 
windings,  not  only  such  as  we  tread,  are  theirs ; 
but, they  live  and  travel  under  ground  and  over 
roofs,  up  and  down,  until  the  cunning  policeman 
is  outwitted  in  following  them;  and  all  their 
streets  and  by-ways  are  swarming  with  human 
or  inhuman  inhabitants,  but  little  less  numerous 
than  the  rats  and  the  vermin.  Cellars  and  lofts 
seem  equally  good  for  either  lodgings,  factories, 
shops,  or  laundries,  and  apartments  of  ordinary 
height  are  cut  in  two  with  a  ladder  to  ascend  to 
the  loft,  reminding  us  of  the  log-cabin  days  in 
the  back- woods,  or  the  wild  frontier. 

Buildings  are  made  more  capacious  by  rude 
balconies  from  the  second  stories,  that  almost 
touch  over  the  narrow  passages  beneath.  The 
Globe  Hotel,  corner  of  Jackson  and  Dupont 
Streets,  three  stories  high,  with  about  60  rooms, 


is  inhabited  by  about  1,500  Celestials,  and  the 
heads  of  the  Chinamen  in  their  bunks,  must 
look  like  the  cells  of  a  honey-cornb.  Steamship 
hold,  cemetery  vault,  Roman  catacomb,  or 
Egyptian  pyramid  could  hardly  be  better 
packed. 

Health. — The  narrow  streets  are  wide  enough 
for  hucksters,  wood-piles,  chicken-coops,  tempo- 
rary pig-pens,  baskets  and  poles,  and  all  sorts  of 
foul  rubbish,  and  just  wide  enough  for  our 
noses.  These  streets  may  center  in  open  courts 
that  reek  in  filth,  or  lead  one  from  treading 
where  death-dealing  vapors  ooze  through  the 
loose  boards  on  which  he  walks,  to  dwellings, 
where  the  floors  are  easily  lifted  to  secure  sewer 
accommodations  in  pools  or  vats  beneath ;  but 
with  all  this,  the  Chinamen  seem  to  thrive  best, 
and  huddle  closest  where  it  is  darkest  and  most 
dismal,  and  where  sunlight  never  enters. 
Leprosy  is  said  to  exist,  but  if  competent  medi- 
cal authorities  have  so  pronounced  any  of  their 
loathsome  diseases,  it  is  not  generally  known,  or 
else  the  leprosy  is  not  of  a  contagious  character. 

There  are  loathsome  diseases  among  them,  and 
especially  among  the  prostitutes,  by  which  even 
small  boys  are  infected,  but  no  wide-spread 
pestilence  has  ever  been  known  among  them, 
and  the  death-rate  is  not  excessive. 

Their  funeral  customs  and  places  of  burial 
make  the  concealment  of  the  dead  far  more  un- 
likely than  when  some  victim  is  chopped  to  pieces 
and  stowed  away  a  la  practices  not  unknown  to 
American  criminals. 

Personal  Habits. — Inoculation  in  child- 
hood is  universal,  and  they  seem  to  come  out  of 
their  filth  as  the  eel  from  his  skin,  with  a  per- 
sonal cleanliness  that  is  marvelous,  and  to  most, 
incredible.  So  far  as  the  secret  of  their  anoma- 
lous health  and  personal  cleanliness  can  be  de- 


279 


tected,  it  is  in  their  practice  of  daily  ablution. 
They  bathe  as  if  it  were  a  sacred  duty,  and  in 
Washington  Territory  will  cut  through  the 
winter  ice  to  find  the  necessary  water,  and  the 
tooth-brush  is  a  daily  companion. 

The  cue  is  regarded  with  patriotic  pride.  It 
and  the  tonsure  were  introduced  into  China  in 
1644,  as  a  mark  of  acceptance  of,  and  subjection 
to  the  Tartar 
rule,  and  en- 
forced by  the 
favor  of  the 
courts,  to  all 
litigants  who 
wore  the  cue, 
and  by  reject- 
ing in  the  lit- 
erary examina- 
tions all  candi- 
dates who  ap- 
peared without 
it,  and  even  by 
death  in  some 
cases,  until  at 
length  the 
mark  of  deris- 
ion became 
the  badge  of 
honor,  and  now 
every  Celestial 
carries  this  flag 
of  his  country, 
no  less  dear 
than  his  own 
head. 

It  is  formed 
by  separating 
the  unshaven 
hair  011  the 
crown  of  the 
head,  three  or 
four  inches  in 
diameter,  into 
three  strands 
and  braiding 
with  it  coarse 
silk  or  false 
hair,  until  in 
cases  of  the  am- 
bitious  it 
reaches  to  with- 
in three  inches 


SCENE  IN  ALLEY,  CHINESE  QUARTERS,  SAN  FRANCISCO. 


of  the  ground.  Sometimes  it  is  worn  for  conven- 
ience in  a  coil  around  the  head  or  the  neck,  but 
it  is  a  mark  of  disrespect  to  have  it  coiled  thus 
in  the  presence  of  superiors — more  insulting  than 
to  enter  a  Fifth  Avenue  cathedral  or  orthodox 
church  and  sit  with  the  hat  on  the  head. 

The  head  of  those  who  can  afford  it,  is  shaved 
once  in  ten  or  fifteen  days.  The  razor  is  triangu- 
lar in  shape,  about  two  inches  long,  and  an  inch 
wide  at  one  end,  hollow  ground  and  weighing 


about  two  ounces.  The  metal  is  of  such  excellent 
quality  that  the  razors  are  often  bought  by 
Americans  for  the  steel  only. 

Tonsorial  operations  are  performed  with  great 
skill,  and  there  are  delicate  instruments  for  swab- 
bing the  ears,  pulling  hairs  out  of  the  nostrils, 
and  cleaning  the  eyelids  on  both  under  and  upper 
sides.  The  sign  of  the  barber-shop,  is  a  four- 
legged  frame — 
the  legs  painted 
green,  and  the 
knobs  on  top 
painted  red. 

As  the  cue  is 
the  badge  of 
servitude  to  the 
present  dynasty 
of  China,  no 
one  can  become 
an  American 
citizen,  or  "  de- 
clare his  inten- 
tions" and  re- 
tain this,  for  it 
proclaims  that 
in  political  mat- 
ters, he  is  not 
his  own  master, 
but  the  slave  of 
the  Emperor, 
and  hence  ap- 
pears the  ab- 
surdity of  those 
who  deny  the 
sincerity  of 
the  profession 
of  the  Chris- 
tian religion, 
made  by  some 
Chinamen  who 
retain  their 
cue.  An  En- 
glish subject 
who  unites  with 
an  American 
church,  is  not 
required  or  ex- 
pected for  this 
reason,  to  re- 
nounce his  al- 
legiance to  the 
Queen. 


Chinese  Quarters. — The  most  interesting 
objects  to  be  seen  in  the  Chinese  quarters  are 
stores,  shops,  restaurants  and  temples,  or  Joss 
houses,  'and  opium  smoking  places,  although 
some  of  the  tourists  visit  viler  abodes,  out  of 
curiosity. 

A  visit  to  the  Chinese  quarters  may  be  made 
in  daylight  or  by  night,  and  with  or  without  a 
policeman.  The  writer  has  frequently  passed 
through  the  alleys  and  streets  of  Chinatown  with- 


280 


out  the  protection  of  policemen,  and  never  ex- 
perienced the  least  indignity.  The  only  occasion 
when  he  failed  to  receive  the  strictest  courtesy 
and  deference  was  on  intruding  upon  a  company 
"  at  rice,''  (when  they  do  not  like  to  be  disturb- 
ed) and  introducing  a  large  company  of  friends, 
one  of  whom  said  he  came  from  New  York,  when 
one  of  the  Chinamen  grinned  from  ear  to  ear,  ex- 
claiming, "You  foolee  me  —  he  Irishman,  he 
Irishman." 

Those  desiring  the  protection  of  a  policeman 
can  secure  the  services  of  one  by  applying  to  the 
Chief  of  Police  in  the  City  Hall.  Compensation 
should  be  made  privately.  Two  dollars  and  a 
half  is  a  sufficient  fee,  but  visitors  should  pay  their 
own  admittance  to  the  Chinese  theater. 

The  Six  Companies. — It  is  hard  to  estimate 
the  birds  of  a  large  flock  that  come  and  go  with 
spring  and  fall,  and  the  Chinese  are  always  travel- 
ing to  and  from  the  Celestial  Empire,  and  no 
census  taker,  or  poll  tax  gatherer  has  ever  been 
guilty  of  the  sin  of  numbering  them.  Whoever 
can  be  caught  is  squeezed  for  taxes,  and  no  mat- 
ter whether  he  has  paid  or  not,  he  can  pay  for 
some  one  that  can  not  be  caught.  The  number 
of  the  people  is  variously  estimated,  but  may  be 
given  as  follows  : 


The  Ming  Yung  Company, 
Hop  Wo  Company, 
Kong  Chow  Company, 
Yung  Wo  Company, 
Sam  Yap  Company, 
Yen  Wo  Company, 
Scattering, 

Total, 


63,000 

43,000 

13,000 

13,000 

11,000 

6,000 

1,000 

150,000 


Of  these  65,000  are  in  California,  and  30,000  in 
San  Francisco.  Of  the  whole  number  about  50,- 
000  are  women,  children  and  merchants. 

Emigration  is  carried  on  through  Hong  Kong, 
a  British  port,  the  Chinese  from  the  province  of 
Kwangtung  going  via  this  port.  It  is  not  prob- 
able that  it  could  be  wholly  prevented  as  long  as 
the  Chinamen  can  make  money  here. 

At  the  end  of  the  year  1851,  not  4,000  had 
come  to  America.  But  the  reports  of  the  open 
country,  and  plenty  of  gold,  brought  18,000  in 
1852,  and  alarmed  the  Californians,  so  that  the 
next  year  only  4,000  came,  and  the  average  of 
arrivals  since,  has  not  been  5,000  a  year.  We 
have  often  been  told  of  "passage  engaged 
ahead  for  thousands,'"  that  "  enough  are  coming 
the  present  year  to  overrun  us,"  but  the  prophe- 
cies are  somewhat  akin  to  those  of  the  world's 
destruction. 

The  books  of  the  Custom  House,  show  the  ar- 
rivals since  1868  to  have  been  as  follows,  but  of 
departures  and  deaths,  there  is  no  reliable  record. 


YEAB. 

1868, 
1869, 
1870, 
1871, 
1872, 
1873, 


MALE. 
10,024 
11,710 
9,666 
4,864 
8,812 
16,605 


FEMALE. 

256 
1,540 
645 
100 
565 
516 


TOTAL. 

10,280 
13,252 
10,318 
4,964 
9,377 
17,121 


YEAR. 

1874, 
1875, 

January,  1876, 
February,  1876, 
March,  1876, 


MALE. 

11,743 

18,090 

1.170 

1,197 

1.872 


FEMALE. 
307 

858 
7 
0 
0 


TOTAL. 
12,950 
18,448 
1,177 
1,197 
1,872 


95,753  4,296  100,049 

As  to  the  object  and  power  of  these  companies 
there  is  a  difference  of  opinion.  Some  assert 
they  are  about  absolute  for  all  purposes  of 
government,  importing  men  and  women,  making 
and  enforcing  contracts  for  labor  and  passage, 
settling  disputes,  and  by  means  of  hired  assas- 
sins killing  at  their  pleasure,  any  one  for  whom 
they  choose  to  offer  a  reward. 

This  and  more — everything  that  can  be  said 
against  them  is  believed  by  more  than  every 
Irishman,  and  on  the  other  hand,  those  who  have 
lived  in  China,  in  the  service  of  the  American  or 
English  government,  and  missionaries  who  speak 
and  read  the  Chinese  language,  deny  to  the  com- 
panies any  such  extent  of  power  or  purpose,  and 
the  Chinamen  universally  deny  it. 

It  is  certain  that  these  organizations  are  pro- 
tective, that  they  are  practically  emigration  and 
aid  societies,  that  they  care  for  the  sick,  send 
some  of  the  destitute  back  to  China,  settle  dis- 
putes by  arbitration,  and  possess  such  power  that 
the  officials  of  the  companies  are  sometimes 
"bound  over  "  for  the  members  to  keep  the  peace, 
and  by  an  arrangement  with  the  Pacific  Mail 
Steamship  Company,  prevent  the  return  of 
any  one  to  China  who  has  not  paid  his  debts,  and 
gather  up  and  return  to  China  the  bones  of  all 
the  dead  belonging  to  the  respective  companies. 
They  have  no  criminal  power,  and  if  American 
officials  did  not  co-operate  with  and  encourage 
the  companies  they  would  have  much  less  in- 
fluence and  importance.  Previous  to  coming, 
Chinamen  have  often  no  knowledge  of  the  exist- 
ence of  the  companies.  A  family  may  accumu- 
late means  to  send  one  of  their  number,  not  from 
Cork,  but  Hong  Kong,  and  on  his  arrival  he  usu- 
ally allies  himself  to  one  of  the  companies  for 
mutual  assistance  and  protection,  and  the  six 
companies  may  also  advertise  in  China  to  induce 
some  to  emigrate. 

Nearly  all  Chinamen  in  America  are  from  the 
province  of  Kwantung,  of  which  Canton  is  the 
principal  city,  and  hence  only  the  Cantonese 
dialect  is  spoken  here. 

The  part  of  the  province  from  which  they  come 
usually  determines  what  company  each  will  join. 
No  fee  is  exacted  for  membership  or  initiation. 

A  washing  guild,  or  organization  that  fixes 
rates  for  washing,  etc.,  has  often  been  confound- 
ed with  the  Six  Companies.  It  is  a  trades- 
union,  independent  of  the  companies.  Trades- 
unions  are  as  common  in  China  as  in  America, 
and  it  is  not  surprising  therefore  that  they  fix 
here  the  prices  of  washing,  and  allow  no  new 
wash-house  within  certain  limits  of  another,  and 
keep  wages  high  enough  to  secure  the  most 


281 


money,  and  low  enough  to  sicken  the  Irishman 
that  competes  with  them. 

The  Women. — These  are  all  of  the  lowest 
order,  excepting  perhaps  150  out  of  the  thou- 
sands here.  The  manner  of  dealing  with  them 
is  like  that  with  Ah  Hoe,  as  follows  : 

"  An  agreement  to  assist  the  woman  Ah  Hoe, 
because  coming  from  China  to  San  Francisco 
she  became  indebted  to  her  mistress  for  passage. 
Ah  Hoe  herself  asks  Mr.  Yee  Kwan  to  advance 
for  her  .f 630,  for  which  Ah  Hoe  distinctly  agrees 
to  give  her  body  to  Mr.  Yee  for  service  as  a  pros- 
titute for  a  term  of  four  years.  There  shall  be 
no  interest  on  the  money.  Ah  Hoe  shall  receive 
no  wages.  At  the  expiration  of  four  years  Ah 
Hoe  shall  be  her  own  master.  Mr.  Yee  Kwan 
shall  not  hinder  or  trouble  her.  If  Ah  Hoe  runs 
away  before  her  time  is  out,  her  mistress  shall 
find  her  and  return  her,  and  whatever  expense  is 
incurred  in  finding  her  Ah  Hoe  shall  pay.  On 
this  day  of  the  agreement  Ah  Hoe  has  received 
with  her  own  hands  f  630.  If  Ah  Hoe  shall  be 
sick  at  any  time  for  more  than  ten  days  she 
shall  make  up  by  an  extra  month  of  service  for 
every  ten  days  of  sickness.  Now  this  agreement 
has  proof.  This  paper  received  by  Ah  Hoe  is 
witness. 

YUXG  CUKE,  12th  year,  9th  month,  14th  day. 

In  October,  1873",  Ah  Hoe  came  to  Mr. 
Gibson's  school  for  protection,  saying  she  had 
been  beaten  and  ill-treated  and  gave  this  con- 
tract as  an  evidence  that  she  had  been  held  in 
slavery.  The  money  she  had  held  in  her  hands  a 
few  seconds,  being  compelled  to  pass  it  immedi- 
ately over  to  her  employer.  She  was  taken  to 
Hong  Kong  by  her  mistress  and  shipped  to  this 
country. 

Tax  Paying.—  In  San  Francisco  324  per- 
sons or  firms,  are  assessed  for  personal  property, 
and  the  valuation  is  -1531,300.  Of  city  tax 
•15,012,  /.  e.,  .943  of  the  whole  was  collected  last 
year,  and  of  the  State  tax  $2,896.59,  i.  e.,  .90  of 
the  whole  was  collected ;  a  much  larger  propor- 
tion than  the  whole  roll  will  show  for  other  tax- 
payers. One  of  the  tea-importing  firms  is  as- 
sessed for  personal  property  at  $23,000,  and 
another  at  $22,500,  and  six  firms  at  $10,000  or 
upwards. 

On  real  estate  it  is  impossible  to  ascertain  the 
amount  of  assessment,  but  it  is  certain  that  some 
of  the  people  are  so  well  pleased  with  the  country  as 
to  consider  it  a  desirable  home,  or  else  so  shrewd 
in  business  as  not  to  fear  speculations  in  real 
estate,  in  which  they  often  make  fortunate  turns. 

They  never  trouble  any  board  of  equalization 
for  a  reduction  of  their  assessment,  and  if  their 
assessments  are  made  surprisingly  low,  may 
Allah  forgive  the  error  for  such  is  not  the  inten- 
tion, and  strange  as  it  may  seem  the  names  of 
Chinese  real  estate  owners  are  never  found  on  the 
delinquent  tax-list.  Some  of  the  Chinamen  are 
reputed  to  be  worth  from  $100,000  to  $200,000. 


Striking  Characteristics. — They  are  -in- 
dustrious, working  early  and  late,  are  peaceable, 
never  giving  offense  in  the  street. 

They  are  thievish,  and  clannish,  and  have  many 
vices,  but  they  never  garrote  the  belated  club- 
man ;  they  will  lie,  but  their  honesty  in  deed  and 
word  is  not  a  whit  below  any  mercantile  class, 
and  their  veracity  is  as  good  as  the  average  in 
the  same  sphere  of  labor. 

Economy — is  seen  in  shrewd  bargains,  in 
cheap  living,  in  picking  up  the  gold  in  the  tail- 
ings that  slips  through  the  fingers  of  the  Ameri- 
can miner,  in  roasting  his  pork  by  the  carcass  and 
selling  it  to  save  the  services  of  many  cooks  and 
the  cost  of  many  fires. 

The  cobbler  pursues  his  avocation  on  the  street, 
reminding  one  of  the  horseback  rider  during  the 
war,  who  was  shaken  heartily  and  awakened  by 
a  stranger  who  desired  to  know  what  he  paid  for 
lodgings.  For  the  cobbler  a  candle-box  will  fur- 
nish a  seat,  and  all  his  tools  and  stock  in  trade 
be  carried  about  in  another  small  box  or  basket. 

They  can  live  for  about  eight  or  ten  cents  a 
day,  but  the  average  cost  of  the  working  class  is 
about  thirty  cents. 

Skill  in  Imitating. — They  are  great  imi- 
tators, and  so  far  as  known,  do  they  not 
furnish  a  striking  illustration  of  the  truth  of 
the  theory  of  natural  selection?  Do  not  their 
caudal  appendages  and  power  of  imitation  show 
their  relation  to  the  monkey,  and  the  link  they 
form  in  the  development  of  the  race  ? 

They  are  servile  imitators.  The  sea  captain 
who  had  an  oil  painting  injured,  and  gave  it  to 
a  Chinese  artist  to  reproduce,  was  amazed  to  see 
the  reproduction  of  the  gash,  and  the  Chinese 
tailor  who  "followed  copy"  in  making  the  new 
coat  with  a  patch  on  the  elbow,  needed  his 
ideas  enforced  with  'blows,  yet  they  never  ex- 
hibit the  stupidity  of  the  new  coachman,  who 
was  sent  to  grease  the  carriage,  and  returned  in 
half  an  hour,  saying  he  had  "  greased  it  all  ex- 
cept the  sticks  the  wheels  hang  on."  They  are 
more  than  imitators,  for  the  ingenious  heathen 
Chinee  can  produce  more  expedients  from  his 
fertile  brain  than  Ah  Sin  aces  from  his  flowing 
sleeves.  In  the  mountains  John  will  own, 
drive,  and  care  for  his  own  team  of  horses,  or 
mules. 

Their  value  as  servants  or  laborers  is  largely 
in  this,  that  they  do  as  they  are  shown,  and 
have  no  more  opinion  of  their  own,  than  the 
miner  who  replied  to  his  superintendent,  when 
asked  "  what  is  this  ore  worth  a  ton  ?  "  "I  don't 
know,  to  me  it's  worth  four  dollars  a  day." 

Power  of  Control  over  Their  Feelinys, 
— makes  their  faces  as  unreadable  as  marble. 
They  are  the  least  demonstrative  of  all  the  na- 
tionalities represented — the  very  opposite  of  the 
Frenchman.  They  rarely  laugh  or  cry,  yet  they 
become  excited,  have  no  fear  of  death,  and  their 
Chinese  oaths  roll  from  them  at  a  rapid  rate. 


282 


They  often  express  their. feeling  by  oaths  and 
curses,  to  which  American  profanity,  it  is  to  be 
hoped,  will  not  attain  by  the  next  Centennial. 
They  wish  their  enemies  to  be  chopped  into  a 
thousand  pieces, — that  his  bowels  may  rot  inch 
by  inch,  and  in  geneal,  their  frequent  oaths  are 
vile,  low,  and  most  vulgar,  and  they  use  them  in 
the  consciousness  that  the  mistress  "  can't  sabee." 

As  servants  many  regard  them  as  a  great  re- 
lief to  the  insolence  and  visiting  so  common  to 
the  class,  and  find  them  as  reliable  as  any  others. 
They  are  liked  and  hated  in  proportion  as  they 
are  faithful  and  find  kind  mistresses.  Many 
have  tried  them  to  their  disgust,  and  others 
would  have  none  but  Chinamen. 

Their  language  gives  them  no  little  advantage 
in  publishing  their  grievances.  A  kind  and  cul- 
tured lady  was  greatly  attached  to  her  China- 
man, who  remained  in  her  kitchen  about  two 
years,  and  then  returned  to  China  to  visit  his 
relations. 

His  successor  proved  to  be  a  surly  and  care- 
less fellow,  and  was  soon  discharged.  No  China- 
man would  then  stay  for  more  than  a  few  days 
or  a  week,  and  a  "  Jap  "  was  engaged  but  with 
the  same  mysterious  result.  At  length  some 
characters  in  the  written  language  were  discover- 
ed in  the  dust  on  the  back  of  the  mirror  in  the 
dressing  bureau,  and  after  they  were  effaced  the 
trouble  ceased ! 

Chinese  Business. — Among  the  Chinese  are 
pawnbrokers,  money-changers  and  bankers, 
watch-makers  and  jewelers. 

The  laundries  are  on  every  block,  in  some  of 
which  the  work  is  excellent,  and  in  others  miser- 
able and  destructive. 

Their  process  of  sprinkling  the  clothes  by  tak- 
ing a  mouthful  of  water  and  ejecting  it  in  the 
form  of  spray  is  curious,  but  a  method  of  sprink- 
ling that  is  not  surpassed  for  evenness. 

Rag-pickers,  and  itinerant  peddlers  go  about 
with  two  large  baskets  on  the  ends  of  a  bamboo 
pole,  and  in  this  way  burdens  are  Usually  carried 
and  often  300  pounds  are  carried  on  a  •'  dog-trot  " 
from  ten  to  twenty  miles  a  day. 

These  baskets,  loaded  with  fish,  carefully 
picked  in  the  markets,  and  vegetables  selected 
with  like  care,  or  raised  in  little  suburban  gar- 
dens of  their  own,  or  fish  and  vegetables  of  the 
worst,  are  carried  if  they  suit  the  customers. 
Their  baskets  are  at  the  doors  of  all  the  side- 
streets,  and  supply  provender  to  those  who  cry 
most  against  cheap  labor. 

Chinese  Jewelry  may  be  purchased  for  curi- 
osity only,  but  the  purchaser  may  feel  easier  than 
in  buying  a  Connecticut  clock,  for  the  articles 
carved  in  gold  and  silver  are  of  pure  metal — 
the  Chinese  having  not  yet  learned  the  intricacies 
of  cheap  jewelry. 

Firm  names  are  not  subject  to  change  with 
death  or  change  of  partners,  but  are  often  per- 
petuated for  centuries. 


Chinese  Workmen. — Their  employments 
and  occupations  are,  in  short,  legion.  They  are 
adapted  best  to  light,  quick  work,  and  engaged 
much  in  cigar  making,  the  use  of  the  sewing 
machine,  gardening,  mining,  picking  fruit,  etc., 
but  have  also  proved  the  most  efficient  class  for 
building  railroads  and  levees, 

They  are  used  almost  exclusively  for  gathering 
castor-beans,  strawberries  and  other  fruits.  As 
merchants,  they  prove  successful,  "  cornering  " 
the  pea-crop  and  other  markets,  and  they  even 
charter  vessels  for  the  flour,  tea  and  rice  trade 
with  China.  Thus  it  is  evident  that  the  labpr 
question  wears  a  serious  aspect  on  its  face,  but 
it  is  like  the  ocean  disturbed  most  on  the  surface, 
and  will  be  settled  with  some  respect  to  the  de- 
mands of  capital,  as  such  questions  have  always 
been  settled. 

One  of  the  manufacturers  engaged  in  the  Mis- 
sion Woolen  Mills,  and  two  other  factories  says  : 
"  We  employ  about  one  thousand  Chinese.  We 
pay  white  men  wages  200  per  cent,  higher  than 
that  paid  to  the  Chinese.  Some  of  the  Chinamen 
are  equal  to  white  men,  but  most  of  them 
earn  from  90  cents  to  $1.20  a  day.  All  the 
money  for  Chinese  laborers  is  paid  to  one  man. 
We  started  manufacturing  with  white  labor, 
and  three  or  four  years  ago  came  to  the  con- 
clusion that  we  wanted  to  hire  seventy-five 
white  boys,  and  bought  that  many  machines. 
The  second  day  the  boys  went  out  on  an  excur- 
sion in  the  bay,  and  did  not  come  back  to  work 
imtil  the  day  after.  We  spoke  to  them  about 
it,  and  said  it  must  not  happen  again.  There- 
upon one  of  the  boys  put  on  his  jacket  and  said 
to  the  others,  '  Let  him  go  to  h — 1,'  and  most  of 
them  left  the  factory.  We  could  not  rely  on 
white  boys.  Afterward  I  engaged  nine  girls. 
One  day  I  went  to  the  factory  and  found  no 
steam  up.  I  asked  '  What's  the  matter  ? '  The 
foreman  said  the  girls  did  not  come,  they  are  off 
on  a-  holiday.  They  had  too  many  holidays- 
Christmas,  New  Year's,  Fourth  of  July,  St. 
Patrick's  Day,  and  many  other  holidays  I  never 
heard  of.  It  went  on  from  bad  to  worse,  and 
when  I  found  that  the  girls  would  rather  loaf  on 
the  streets  than  work,  I  discharged  them.  I  am 
not  in  favor  of  Chinese  labor,  mind  you,  but  I 
have  found  out  that  white  boys  and  girls  of  San 
Francisco  cannot  be  depended  upon.  If  we  had 
no  Chinamen,  our  factories  would,  in  a  measure, 
be  hindered  in  their  progress.  If  we  had  no 
manufactories  of  blankets  here  articles  of  that 
description  would  be  bought  in  England.  Shoes 
would  be  bought  in  Boston,  if  they  were  not 
manufactured  here.  Our  foreman  has  instruc- 
tions to  give  white  labor  the  preference.  We 
have  offered  inducements  to  obtain  Chinese 
labor. 

Would  it  be  a  good  thing  to  send  our  raw 
material  East,  and  have  the  articles  manufac- 
tured there  and  sent  back  to  us  ?  We  sell  goods 


283 


here  as  cheap  as  they  are  sold  in  the  East,  and 
better  goods,  although  white  labor  in  New  Eng- 
land is  cheaper  than  Chinese  labor  on  this  coast. 
The  houses  that  export  and  sell  eastern  manu- 
factured goods  would  put  up  the  prices  of  shoes, 
blankets,  etc.,  if  our  factories  did  not  keep  them 
down  by  competition.  If  our  factories  were 
closed,  prices  would  go  up  at  once." 

And  a  private  individual,  "  Chang  Wo,"  makes 
a  good  point  in  public  discussion,  when  he  says, 
"  What  for  the  Americans  have  us  in  their 
houses  if  we  are  not  clean  and  steal  ?  You  can 
see." 

Among  them  are  some  hardened  criminals,  as 
their  implements  of  murder  to  be  seen  in  the 
office  of  the  Chief  of  Police,  or  their  pawn- 
broker's shops,  will  testify,  and  seventeen  per 
cent,  of  the  convicts  at  San  Quentin  are  Chinese. 
On  the  one  hand,  it  is  difficult  to  convict  them, 
because  false  witnesses  are  idle  in  the  market 
places,  but  on  the  other  hand,  they  need  no  con- 
viction in  the  judgment  of  many,  and  only  a  pre- 
text is  sufficient  to  get  them  into  prison.  Guilty 
American  criminals  enjoy  no  fewer  chances  of 
escaping  justice,  but  many  more. 

Chinese  Restaurants  and  Food. — The 
restaurants  are  easily  distinguished  by  their 
gaudy  signs  of  red  and  gilt,  covering  the  whole 
front  of  the  building,  and  the  immense  round 
Chinese  lanterns  suspended  from  the  upper 
stories.  The  higher  the  story,  the  more  elaborate 
and  costly  is  the  rude  furniture  and  the  more 
aristocratic  the  entertainment ;  or  like  the  Palace 
Hotel,  "  the  high  floors  are  the  high-toned."  In 
these  high  places  the  merchants  dine  their  friends 
on  a  dozen  different  courses.  They  have  a 
greater  variety  of  food  than  the  French  or  any 
other  nation.  Some  of  this  is  best  seen  in  the 
provision  stores,  and  some  in  the  restaurants. 
On  Jackson  Street,  above  Dupont,  is  one  of  the 
oldest  and  best  restaurants ;  others  are  on  oppo- 
site sides  of  Dupont,  near  Clay.  In  meats,  the 
Chinese  use  pork,  kid,  chickens,  and  the  greatest 
variety  of  dried  fish,  dried  oysters,  gizzards, 
shrimps,  and  ducks.  Beef  is  not  a  favorite 
meat,  especially  in  the  southern  part  of  China. 
The  legends  concerning  calamity  upon  those  who 
eat  so  serviceable  an  animal  are  numerous. 

Ducks  are  hatched  and  reared  by  artificial  proc- 
ess in  China,  and  when  dried  in  the  sun  and 
pressed  in  oil,  are  an  important  article  of  com- 
merce. Dried  duck  eggs,  sometimes  called  "  salt 
eggs,"  being  first  salted  for  three  days,  and  then 
covered  or  coated  with  mud  and  salt,  look  as  if 
they  were  coated  with  glue,  and  covered  with 
black  sand  in  stucco  fashion.  The  Chinese  call 
them  Ham  Tan,  and  sell  them  at  35  cents  a 
dozen. 

Shrimps  are  not  only  dried,  but  are  made  into 
a  sauce  that  looks  like  an  apothecary's  ointment. 
Many  Chinamen  in  Mexico  are  engaged  in  catch- 
ing and  salting  shrimps.  The  variety  of  dried 


and  salted  fish  is  almost  endless.  Meat,  fish  and 
vegetables  are  cut  up  fine  and  cooked  with 
rice  flour  and  nut-oil  in  a  variety  of  cakes,  orna- 
mented in  various  styles  and  colors,  then  sold  at 
street  stands  and  eaten  in  restaurants,  llice 
flour  and  nut-oil  are  used  in  almost  all  the 
articles  of  pastry.  Rice  is,  of  course,  the  staple 
article  of  food,  and  the  taking  of  a  meal  is  "  eat- 
ing rice."  The  Chinaman's  receptivity  for  this, 
like  that  of  the  ocean,  is  never  satisfied.  He 
will  take  a  bowl  containing  it,  in  the  left  hand, 
and  by  a  dexterous  use  of  the  chop-sticks  will 
shovel  it  into  his  mouth,  and  swallow  it  as  one 
fish  swallows  another,  and  he  seldom  fails  to  re- 
peat the  process  less  than  five  or  six  times.  Of 
teas,  only  the  black  is  used  in  the  best  restau- 
rants, and  this  of  a  superior  quality,  costing 
often  several  dollars  a  pound.  It  is  never  boiled 
but  placed  in  a  small  cup  with  a  cover  to  fit,  and 
boiling  water  poured  in,  and  then  is  left  to  steep 
in  the  presence  of  the  guest.  Tea  is  the  com- 
mon beverage,  and  offered  on  all  occasions.  On 
receiving  a  call  from  a  stranger,  it  would  be  ex- 
ceedingly ill-mannered  not  to  offer  some  hot  tea 
the  moment  after  he  enters.  It  is  always  taken 
as  hot  as  it  can  be  procured,  and  without  sugar 
or  milk.  For  keeping  it  hot  they  sometimes 
have  a  covered  basket  well-lined  with  some  non- 
conductor of  heat,  into  which  the  tea-pot  fits, 
and  which  will  retain  the  heat  for  several  hours. 

They  seldom  drink  water,  and  wine  is  spar- 
ingly used.  At  their  feasts  and  on  social  occa- 
sions, they  are  obliged  to  go  through  the  whole 
bill  of  fare,  taking  a  little  of  whatever  is  offered. 

The  long,  white,  tapering  Chinese  radish,  like 
our  own  winter  radish,  few  will  mistake,  unless 
they  are  first  cut  up  and  boiled  in  oil. 

One  of  the  most  delicate  vegetables  they  call 
the  water-chestnut,  a  reddish  brown  bulb,  about 
as  large  as  an  Italian  chestnut,  and  resembling 
the  Indian  turnip.  They  are  pared  or  shaved 
with  but  little  waste  and  great  rapidity. 

The  Chinese  turnip  will  not  be  readily  recog- 
nized, except  by  its  faint  odor.  It  is  oval,  but 
quite  irregular  in  shape. 

The  bean  is  a  great  favorite,  and  of  it  there 
are  many  varieties,  some  exceedingly  small. 
Bean  sprouts  are  sold  in  all  the  vegetable  stores, 
and  bean  curd  is  a  staple  article  of  food.  One 
might  mistake  it  for  corn-starch  or  milk  curd. 
It  is  prepared  by  grinding  the  bean  and  boiling 
the  meal.  The  soft,  yellow-covered  cakes  on  the 
stands  in  the  street,  are  only  bean  curd. 

Colt's-foot  candy  is  not  an  article  of  food,  but 
that  which  resembles  it,  is  only  the  bean,  cooked 
and  drawn  out  into  sticks,  like  candy ;  and  the 
long,  thin, — dried  string-beans,  one  would  say, 
are  not  beans  at  all,  but — yellow  blossoms  to  be 
cooked  in  soup  with  lean  pork.  Besides  aspara- 
gus, lettuce,  celery  and  our  common  articles, 
mustard  leaves,  large  and  small,  are  much  used 
for  "  greens." 


284 


Pumpkins  and  squashes,  such  as  the  "  Melican 
man  "  eats,  and  does  not  eat,  and  sweet  potatoes, 
dried  and  prepared  as  potato-rice  ;  and  yams, 
with  fibres  somewhat  resembling  those  adhering 
to  the  cocoa-nut  shell,  are  always  seen  about  the 
stores. 

Bamboo  is  cut  into  pieces  about  six  inches  in 
length,  split  and  preserved  in  brine,  and  cooked 
with  meat. 

Dried  olives,  black,  and  like  a  three-cornered 
piece  of  dried  plum,  are  kept  in  earthen  jars, 
and  cooked  with  meat.  The  abalone,  a  shell-fish, 
is  dried  and  exported  to  China.  A  sea-weed  that 
resembles  the  pulp  of  peaches,  dried  like  peach- 
leather,  is  a  curious  article  of  food,  and  may  be  as 
good  as  the  bird's-nests.  The  greasy  sausages 
are  not  attractive,  though  evidently  much  sought 
after. 

In  the  great  variety  of  preserved  fruits,  some 
are  food  fit  for  Americans.  The  ginger  root  is 
well  known,  and  not  less  pleasant  are  the  lemon, 
sliced  citron,  small  oranges,  water-melons,  olives, 
persimmons,  and  frozen  sugar. 

Of  nuts  there  are  many,  some  for  cooking,  and 
some  for  eating.  The  white  nut  is  like  a  small 
almond,  with  a  thin  shell  and  kernel,  and  is  used 
for  pastry. 

At  the  street  corners  are  little  packages  of 
brown  paper,with  slices  of  cocoa-nut,mingled  with 
the  curious  beetle  nut,  and  the  whole  is  daubed 
with  some  red  paste,  made  out  of  lime  juice  and 
colored  by  the  dust  of  the  street  and  some 
foreign  pinkish  earth. 

One  of  the  most  palatable  nuts  is  the  "  Lai 
Che,"  rougher  than  the  cup  of  an  acorn;  the 
meat  of  which  is  black  and  sweet,  and  the  seeds 
of  which,  though  hard,  contain  a  delicate  kernel. 
The  pea-nut  is  found  on  all  the  stands,  but  the 
American  product  is  far  superior  to  the  Chinese. 

Water-melon  seeds  are  eaten  raw,  and  used  in 
cooking.  With  all  the  variety  of  edibles  from 
China,  of  which  only  a  few  of  the  most  striking 
and  common  have  been  named,  and  with  the 
new  dishes  adopted  in  this  country,  it  may  be 
hard  for  the  Celestial  to  arrange  his  bill  of  fare, 
but  they  find  rice  economical,  and  they  love  it 
dearly ;  yet  when  the  palate  of  one  was  tested  by 
asking  him,  "  Of  all  things  to  eat,  what  would 
you  rather  have  ?  "  He  reflected  for  a  time  and 
replied  deliberately,  but  with  emphasis  of  tone, 
"  Well,  me  likee  best  a  nice  piece  of  hog-meat." 

Temples. — These  are  to  be  found  in  almost 
every  town  containing  a  few  hundred  Chinamen, 
but  the  most  elaborate  are  in  San  Francisco. 

No  effort  is  made  to  present  an  attractive  ex- 
terior, although  more  money  is  expended  by 
Chinamen  in  proportion  to  their  means  upon 
their  temples  than  Americans  spend  upon  their 
churches. 

The  temples  are  not  under  the  control  of  the 
six  companies,  or  in  any  way  connected  with 
them,  nor  does  the  relations  of  any  one  to  his 


company  affect  his  place,   or  time  of  worship- 
ing.     The  chief  temples  are 

1.  On   Clay   Street,  opposite    the   south-west 
corner  of   the   Plaza,  in  the  building  in  which 
the   Hop  Wo   Company   has   its  head-quarters, 
and  for  this  reason  sometimes  distinguished  as 
the  Hop  Wo  Temple. 

2.  The  Dupont  Street  Temple,  with  entrance 
from  Dupont  near  Jackson,  and  also  from  Jack- 
son near  Dupont,  neither  of  which  can  be  found 
or  would  be  willingly  entered  when  found  by 
a  stranger.      It  is  reached  by  ascending  rickety 
stairs  to  the  third  story. 

3.  The  Pine    Street   Temple,    entrance    just 
above  Kearney,  in  the   building  of  the  Kong 
Chow  Asylum. 

4.  The  Brooklyn  Place  Temple,  off  Sacramento 
Street  near  Stockton. 

5.  The  Jackson  Street  Temple,  on  the  north 
side  of  Jackson,  near  Stockton. 

The  most  popular  among  the  Chinese  is  the 
one  on  Brooklyn  Place,  but  it  is  small,  retired, 
with  only  one  god,  and  not  attractive  to  tourists. 

The  most  desirable  to  visit  are  the  first  two 
mentioned.  The  Clay  Street  is  the  newest, 
most  elaborate  and  expensive,  but  the  Dupont 
Street  contains  about  four  times  as  many  gods 
as  any  other. 

The  temple  on  Jackson  Street  is  devoted  to 
the  worship  of 

Ma  Chu, — the  goddess  of  sailors,  and  her 
two  assistants,  on  either  side  of  her.  She  has 
had  various  high-sounding  titles  bestowed  upon 
her,  the  most  common  of  which  is  "  Tin  Han" 
the  Heavenly  Queen,  and  to  her  the  boatmen  cry 
often,  in  piteous  tones,  "  Grandmother  Ma 
Chu !  "  "  Grandmother  Ma  Chu  ! " 

This  goddess  was  the  daughter  of  a  sea-faring 
man,  whose  sons  followed  the  father's  uncertain 
and  stormy  life.  While  weaving  one  day  she 
fell  asleep  and  her  weary  head  rested  on  her 
loom,  where  she  saw,  in  a  dream,  her  father  and 
two  brothers  and  their  respective  junks,  periled 
in  a  terrific  storm.  She  agonized  to  rescue  them 
from  danger,  and  seized  her  brothers'  junks,  one 
in  each  hand,  and  her  father's  in  her  mouth.  As 
she  dragged  them  to  the  shore,  she  heard  her 
mother's  voice  calling,  and,  with  dutiful  spirit, 
but  great  forgetfulness  of  her  father's  danger, 
she  opened  her  mouth  to  answer,  and  awoke 
from  her  dream ;  but  in  a  few  days  tidings  came 
of  a  dreadful  storm  and  the  loss  of  the  father's 
junk  and  the  safety  of  the  brothers.  Her  dream 
has  given  her  more  honor  than  Pharaoh's  gave 
Joseph,  and  the  Virgin  Mary  has  no  loftier  titles. 
Thank  offerings  are  made  to  her  by  boatmen, 
after  every  deliverance  from  peril.  One  of  her 
assistants  is  "  Favorable-wind-ear,"  and  the 
other, "  Thousand-mile-eye." 

The  temple  on  Pine  Street  is  devoted  to  Kwan 
Tai,  the  god  of  war.  It  is  in  the  building  of 
the  Kong  Chow  Asylum,  and  has  connected  with 


286 


it  a  room  for  ancestral  worship.  The  asylum 
has  a  large  hall  for  the  public  meetings  of  the 
company. 

The  stranger  in  San  Francisco  will  visit  the 
temples  on  Clay  Street  and  Dupont  Street,  if 
no  others.  The  Clay  Street  has  taken  away  some 
of  the  tinsel  that  formerly  adorned  the  one  on  Du- 
pont Street,  and  is  the  most  elaborate,  having 
cost  about  $ 30,000,  and  is  dedicated  to  the  worship 
of  Kwan  Tai,  and  this  same  god  occupies  the 
central  place  in  the  Dupont  Street  Temple. 

He  is  the  most  popular  of  all  the  gods,  and  is 
always  red-faced,  with  a  long,  black  beard. 

On  the  walls  of  every  temple  and  about  the 
entrances  are  seen  red  placards — the  records  of 
the  gifts  made  for  establishing  and  supporting  it. 
The  "  Heathen  Chinee,"  unlike  the  American 
Christians,  who  always  give  their  alms  in  secret, 
connect  merit  and  worship  with  these  gifts,  some- 
times burning  incense  before  the  names  of  the 
donors,  while  an  attending  priest  offers  prayers 
for  blessings  on  them. 

In  the  Clay  Street  Temple  is  an  elaborate  piece 
of  gilt,  carved  wood,  representing  mythology  and 
history.  It  cost  about  $3,000,  and  is  enclosed  in 
glass,  covered  with  wire.  Other  pieces  of  carv- 
ing, similar  in  character,  are  suspended  about 
the  room ;  but  the  significance  of  them  is  as 
mysterious  as  the  ponderous  classics  of  Confu- 
cius and  Mencius. 

Richly  embroidered  silk  banners — all  hand- 
wrought,  are  ready  to  be  carried  in  front  of  or 
over  the  idol  when  he  goes  out  in  procession  on 
festal  days.  Spears  are  used  at  the  same  time 
for  his  protection,  and  flags  carried  to  declare 
his  authority. 

From  the  ceiling  are  suspended  tablets  with 
mottoes  inscribed  upon  them,  and  some  are 
placed  vertically  on  the  inner  or  outer  walls, 
and  the  door-posts. 

Some  of  the  temporary  ones  contain  good 
mottoes  ;  others  are  thank-offerings.  One  of  the 
latter,  richly  embroidered  and  fringed,  (now  in 
'the  Clay  Street  Temple,)  is  a  thank-offering  of 
Doctor  Lai  Po  Tai,  and  has  four  Chinese  char- 
acters, to  wit :  "  Shing,  Shan,  Mo,  Keung,"  i.  «., 
"  the  gods  whose  holy  age  is  perpetual." 

This  doctor  has  amassed  a  fortune,  by  con- 
summate skill  in  the  grossest  quackery,  and 
without  performing  any  wonderful  cures,  has 
tried  his  hand  on  many  rich  and  noble  ones,  and 
among  them  even  a  noted  professional  of  an 
eastern  city,  who  proved  in  his  experience  the 
truth  of  the  familiar  adage,  "  never  too  old  to 
learn." 

The  doctor  lighted  a  match  in  his  room,  when 
it  was  filled  with  gas,  and  as  a  consequence  had 
to  secure  himself  the  skill  of  American  physi- 
cians; he  barely  escaped  death,  and  then  com- 
memorated his  recovery  by  this  thank-offering, 
placed  originally  in  the  Dupont  Street,  but  subse- 
quently removed  to  the  Clay  Street  Temple. 


i  The  neatest  of  the  temples  or  Josh  Houses  is 
the  Clay  Street,  but  all  ai'e  dirty,  dingy  and 
doleful.  A  heaven  of  such  character,  would  be 
desirable  to  no  civilized  people,  and  the  temples 
impress  one  concerning  the  religious  taste  of  the 
Chinese,  as  an  ignorant  and  irreverent  hater  of 
the  Jews  seemed  to  be  impressed,  when  he  re- 
marked to  a  friend,  "  And  you  tell  me  that  the 
Jews  were  the  chosen  people — God's  peculiar  peo- 
ple? I  think  it  showed  a  very  poor  taste  on 
God's  part." 

The  ornamentation  is  of  the  cheapest,  most 
miserable  tinsel,  gay  and  gaudy,  smoked  and 
begrimed  with  dirt,  and  the  air  laden  with  a 
nauseating  odor  of  incense  from  grateful  sandal- 
wood,  mingled  with  the  deadly  fumes  of  the 
opium  pipe,  and  the  horrible  smell  of  oil  lamps 
and  many-colored  vegetable  tallow  candles. 

Spread  out  before  the  gods  there  is  usually 
roast  chicken  and  pig,  sweetmeats  or  cakes,  and 
always  vessels  or  libations  of  tea,  and  a  burning 
lamp.  Every  one  will  be  likely  to  wonder  how 
the  gods  dispose  of  all  the  food,  and  why  the 
constant  and  large  supply  of  tea  does  not  weaken 
the  nerves,  but  the  gods  consume  only  the  imma- 
terial and  essential  parts  of  the  offering,  after 
which  the  meats,  fruits,  pyramids  of  cakes,  the 
vermicelli  of-rice  flour  and  other  articles  are  car- 
ried home  to  be  eaten  by  the  offerers. 

The  gods  are  always  enthroned  in  an  alcove, 
out  of  which  their  hideously  extorted  and  repul- 
sively daubed  faces  look  with  fiendish  malignity 
or  silly  unmeaningness. 

The  bell  is  a  fixture  of  every  temple,  and  also 
the  drum,  the  former  curious  with  dragon  orna- 
mentations, and  the  latter  with  stout  raw-hide 
and  huge  copper  rivets.  Their  purpose  is  easily 
guessed,  for  sometimes  these  gods  are  "  asleep," 
or  "  on  a  journey."  There  is  also  a  box  placed 
on  a  high  stand,  and  carefully  closed,  containing 
the  great  seal,  and  which  ought  to  be  a  better 
possession,  than  Alladin's  lamp. 

An  oven  is  also  a  common  fixture  to  accommo- 
date in  the  burning  of  mock-money,  or  mock- 
clothing,  or  any  representation,  the  reality  of 
which  the  gods  receive  through  the  power  of 
fire. 

There  are  no  set  times  for  worship,  except  feast 
and  festival  days,  such  as  the  birthdays  of  the 
gods. 

The  calendar  which  determines  these  days  is 
very  abstruse,  and  no  logarithms,  differential,  or 
integral  calculus  would  make  it  intelligible. 
They  have  "  big  months  "  and  "  little  months  " 
of  30  or  29  days,  and  this  year,  1876,  has  13 
months ;  i.  e.,  a  sort  of  leap-year,  with  two,  fifth 
months. 

On  festival  days  huge  paper  images  of  the  gods 
are  made  and  carried  in  processions  through  the 
streets,  and  then  allowed  to  remain  in  the  temple 
for  a  season. 

The  artificial  flowers  are  generally  renewed 


287 


once  a  year  ;  in  fact,  in  no  other  nation,  is  there 
a  more  general  change  —  so  many  new  leaves 
turned  over,  as  in  the  Chinese  New  Year. 

Large  urns  and  pewter  and  brass  vessels  of 
shapes  and  styles  that  the  gods  are  supposed  to 
appreciate,  are  used  for  burning  sandal-wood 
sticks  or  incense. 

There  is  the  greatest  irreverence  and  confu- 
sion in  their  worship — one  never  paying  regard 
to  the  devotions  of  another.  In  one  quarter  of 
the  room  some  may  jabber  while  others  are 
throwing  the  ka-pue,  or  shaking  the  bamboo 
splints,  or  consulting  the  spirits,  or  prostrating 
themselves  to  the  earth. 

Peacock  feathers,  which  are  "flower,"  "green," 
"  one-eyed,"  "  two-eyed,"  or  "  three-eyed,"  and 
used  as  marks  of  honor,  and  designate  ranks 
like  epaulets  in  the  army,  and  the  sinuosities  of 
the  "  dragon,"  "  the  greatest  benefactor  of  man- 
kind," "  the  protecting  deity  of  the  empire"  and 
the  "  national  coat  of  arms,"  are  used  wherever 
possible. 

One  dragon,  called  the  true  dragon,  is  Jive-claw- 
ed, and  this  one  the  emperor  appropriates  to  him- 
self, and  the  whole  of  it  is  never  visible  in  one 
picture — if  the  head  is  visible  the  tail  is  out  of 
sight.  It  has  scales  but  no  ears,  yet  has  two 
horns,  through  which  it  is  said  to  hear. 

Mode  of  Worshiping  and  Consulting 
the  Gods. — On  entering  the  temple,  the  wor- 
shiper makes  the  "  Kow-Tow,"  striking  the  floor 
with  his  head  three  times. 

In  consulting  the  gods,  the  ka-pue,  or  divining 
sticks  are  used,  and  also  bamboo  slips. 

The  ka-pue  are  pieces  of  wood  six  or  eight 
inches  long,  and  shaped  like  the  half  of  a  split 
bean.  One  is  held  in  each  hand,  they  are  then 
placed  together,  and  while  bowing  let  fall  to  the 
ground.  If  both  flat  surfaces  rest  on  the  ground, 
"bad  luck  to  ye;"  both  flat  surfaces  upward 
mean  indifference,  or  equivalent  to  "  cocked  " 
dice ;  and  when  one  flat  and  one  rounded  surface 
rest  on  the  ground,  the  favor  of  the  god  is  assured. 

Sometimes  the  worshiper  holds  a  bunch  of 
small  incense  sticks  in  his  hand,  while  he  pros- 
trates himself,  and  whenever  the  first  effort  is 
not  successful,  "  the  best  out  of  three,"  and  even 
the  "  best  out  of  three  times  three,"  or  further 
trial  will  answer  as  well. 

The  bamboo  slips  are  contained  in  tin  or 
bamboo  canisters,  about  a  foot  high,  and  three 
inches  in  diameter.  They  are  kept  by  the  priest 
in  charge  of  the  temple,  but  whose  services  do 
not  seem  at  all  necessary  for  the  ordinary 
worshiper.  On  each  slip  are  numbers  or  char- 
acters corresponding  to  slips  of  paper,  which 
contain  directions  or  answers  like  boots  and 
shoes,  "  ready-made  and  warranted  to  fit." 
After  bowing  thrice,  the  worshiper  kneels,  and 
shakes  the  slips  till  one  falls  to  the  floor.  The 
approval  of  the  god  is  sought  on  this  lot,  and  the 
process  must  be  repeated  till  a  favorable  answer 


is  obtained.  Sometimes  the  deity  does  not 
know  the  circumstances  of  the  case,  and  must 
be  informed  thereof  by  burning  paper  that  eon- 
tains  the  necessary  information.  Sometimes  he 
must  be  propitiated  by  offerings  of  mock-money, 
white  or  yellow,  (silver  or  gold)  and  sometimes 
by  food. 

The  priest  receives  a  fee  for  the  slip  of  paper 
in  his  charge,  and  he  is  sometimes  employed  to 
write  letters,  and  sometimes  his  services  as  a 
medium  must  be  had.  For  this  latter,  he  stands 
at  a  table,  on  which  is  a  slight  covering  of  sand, 
and  there  repeats  his  incantations  until  he  at- 
tains the  clairvoyant  or  mediumistic  state,  and 
then  he  writes  with  a  stick,  under  direction  of  the 
spirits,  what  is  intelligible  to  no  one  else,  but 
what  he  never  fails  to  interpret. 

Kwan  Tai  is  the  deity  of  the  Clay  Street  and 
the  central  figure  in  the  Dupont  Street  Josh 
House.  He  is  a  great  favoi-ite.  "  Chinaman  he 
likee  him  heap  muchee,  and  he  likee  Chinaman 
too." 

Small  images  of  him  are  sometimes  seen  in 
stores  and  dwellings.  He  is  the  Mars  of  the 
Flowery  Kingdom  a  "Military  Sage,"  and  is 
worshiped  for  success  in  contests  of  almost  every 
character,  and  grows  in  favor  from  year  to  year. 
He  was  a  distinguished  officer  who  flourish- 
ed in  the  later  Han  dynasty,  and  was  promi- 
nent in  the  wars  which  then  agitated  the  three 
States. 

In  the  Dupont  Street  Temple,  there  are  other 
deities,  two  of  which  will  be  easily  recog- 
nized :  Wah  Tah,  the  god  of  medicine,  who 
holds  in  his  left  hand  the  well-coated  pill,  and 
who  is  consulted  for  diseases  of  all  sorts,  and 
Tsoi  Pak  Shing  Kioun,  the  god  of  wealth,  who 
holds  a  bar  of  bullion.  He  is  the  patron  deity 
of  merchants,  and  all  receivers  of  moneys,  and, 
around  his  cabinet  or  throne,  are  pasted  many 
mottoes  or  charms,  such  as  "  Protect  us  with 
Heaven's  chief  wealth." 

Other  deities  here  are  Nam  Hai  Hung  Shing 
Tai,  the  god  of  fire,  or  "  the  Fiery  Ruler  of  the 
Southern  Regions ; "  the  local  god  of  Canton,  a 
"  Great  and  Holy  King." 

Yun  Ten  Tin  is  the  god  of  the  sombre 
Heavens,  able  to  prevent  conflagrations,  and 
eating  vegetables  only. 

In  the  room  on  the  east  side  of  the  main  room, 
is  the  Goddess  of  Mercy  held  in  great  venera- 
tion by  married  women.  She  is  especially 
worshiped  on  the  first  and  fifteenth  of  every 
month.  The  god  of  the  Southern  Mountain,  or 
local  god  of  Canton,  is  much  worshiped. 

In  the  many  gods,  there  is  a  great  variety,  and 
some  confusion ;  but  the  Chinamen  think  they 
have  great  advantage  over  our  religion.  They 
have  gods  in  the  temple,  and  gods  at  home,  and 
one  of  the  heathen  remarked  to  an  American  who 
reviled  his  polytheism  : 

"  Chinaman  religion  heap  better  Melican  man's. 


288 


You  go  chu'rch  Sunday  little  while  :  you  come  home, 
and  allee  week  you  lie  and  steal,  and  do  heap 
muchee  bad  thing*.  Chinaman,  he  got  gods  at 
home,  see  him  allee  time,  Chinaman  must  be  always 
good." 

In  the  rear  of  the  temple,  there  is  a  room  for 
the  sale  of  incense,  and  other  articles  used  in 
worship,  the  profit  of  which  goes  to  the  priest. 
The  candles  are  all  of  vegetable  tallow,  made 
from  seeds  or  kernels,  which  grow  in  clusters  on 
the  tallow-tree.  Beef  tallow  would  be  offensive  to 
the  gods,  for  the  ox  and  buffalo  are  animals  of 
merit,  and  the  odor  of  burning  animal  fat, 
would  be  repugnant  to  the  nostrils  of  the 
deities. 

Gamblinff. — In  this  they  have  an  advantage 
over  our  own  race, — in  a  god  of  gambling,  a 
dilapidated,  seedy  individual,  with  cue  coiled 
around  the  head,  and  a  gambling  card  in  his 
hair,  and  also  in  worshiping  the  tiger,  grasping 
in  his  mouth  or  paws  a  large  cash.  "  His  Ex- 
cellency, the  Grasping  Cash  Tiger,"  is  usually 
pictured  on  wood  or  paper,  and  is  sometimes 
winged,  like  pictures  of  another,  "  His  Excellency 
the  Devil.' 

The  Chinese  are  fond  of  gambling,  and  have 
invented  many  methods  of  playing  for  money. 

Their  dens  in  the  business  quarter  are  many, 
always  with  a  ivhile  sign,  and  usually  far  back 
with  a  sentinel  at  the  entrance  from  the  street,  to 
give  the  alarm  of  an  approaching  officer,  or  to 
turn  away  the  "white  foreign  devils"  who  may 
have  too  great  a  thirst  for  knowledge.  Some- 
times as  many  as  three  doors  and  sentinels 
must  be  passed. 

There  is  many  an  "  Ah  Sin  "  who  can  flatter, 
shame,  threaten  and  lead  on  his  victim.  In 
China  both  gambling  and  lotteries  are  unlawful; 
but  it  is  easy  to  bribe  officials  there,  and  here 
the  Chinese  practice  these  same  old  arts.  Any 
and  everything  will  be  gambled  away,  from  their 
money  to  their  shoes — they  gamble  with  bamboo 
slips,  all  held  as  if  for  drawing  lots,  and  giving 
the  cash  to  the  only  one  which,  when  drawn,  has 
a  string  attached  to  it,  with  defective  poetry,  in 
which  the  missing  word  is  to  be  guessed ;  and 
with  a  revolving  pointer,  with  cards,  dice,  and 
dominoes,  but  the  most  popular  of  all  the  games 
is  that  of  "  Fan  Tan,"  usually  contracted  into 
"  Tan,"  a  game  foreign  to  the  Chinese,  and 
the  origin  of  which  is  more  mysterious  than 
that  of  chess,  but  which  means  "  spread  out 
money." 

As  only  Chinamen  are  admitted  in  San  Fran- 
cisco to  the  sacred  precincts  of  these  resorts,  the 
game  can  not  be  seen  except  by  special  favor.  In 
some  interior  towns  the  Chinese  are  not  unwil- 
ling to  admit  visitors.  It  is  somewhat  similar  to 
the  popular  American  game  of  faro,  but  so  much 
simpler  in  all  the  appurtenances  of  the  play,  that 
when  a  lucky  raid  of  the  police  is  made  through 
the  quickly  barred  doors  and  winding  passages, 


the  only  implements  left  are  a  table,  a  few  chairs, 
an  empty  bowl  and  a  pile  of  beans. 

The  game  is  played  on  a  table,  around  which 
the  players  sit.  The  sides  of  the  table,  or,  of  a  . 
board,  which  lies  upon  a  table  are  numbered, 
"one,"  "two,"  "three,"  and  "four."  Cash, 
a  round  Chinese  coin,  with  a  square  hole 
in  the  center,  worth  one-tenth  of  a  cent, 
were  formerly  used,  but  as  the  seizure  of 
money  is  evidence  of  gambling,  they  now  use 
beans  instead  of  cash.  A  large  pile  of  them  is 
laid  on  the  table  and  covered  wholly,  or  in  part, 
by  an  inverted  bowl,  and  the  betting  commences 
on  either  "  one,"  "  two,"  "  three,"  or  "  four." 
The  money  may  be  laid  on  the  sides  correspond- 
ing to  the  numbers,  or  as  is  now  generally 
practised,  papers  having  the  amount  of  the  re- 
spective bets,  written  on  them,  are  placed  on 
the  table  instead  of  the  coin. 

The  cover  is  then  removed,  and  the  beans  are 
drawn  away,  four  at  a  time,  and  the  side  of  the 
table  wins,  according  to  the  remainder,  one,  two, 
three,  or  nothing.  Sometimes  the  bet  is  taken 
on  the  corners,  dividing  the  chances  of  two  sides. 
The  keeper  of  the  house  receives  a  percentage  of 
all  the  money  paid,  varying,  it  is  said,  from  three 
to  nine  per  cent. 

There  are  nearly  two  hundred  of  these  gam- 
bling houses  in  the  city,  and  they  furnish  a  rich 
living  to  the  policemen,  who  levy  black-mail  on 
them,  varying,  it  is  said,  from  five  to  twenty  dol- 
lars a  week. 

The  Theatres. — There  are  two  on  opposite 
sides  of  Jackson  Street,  just  below  Dupont.  The 
most  popular  is  the  oldest,  the  "  Chinese  Royal," 
on  the  north  side  of  the  street.  The  entrance  to 
this  is  through  a  long  passage,  about  five  feet 
wide,  lined  with  the  tables  of  fruit  and  cake 
venders. 

The  auditorium  has  a  parquette,  that  seats 
about  600  and  a  gallery  for  about  250;  a 
smaller  gallery  for  about  50  Chinese  women, 
and  two  private  boxes,  void  of  all  comfort  from 
cushions,  curtains  or  cleanliness,  but  elevated 
and  roomy  enough  for  six  persons,  near  the 
stage  and  offering  the  only  chances  for  securing 
reserved  seats. 

The  price  of  admission  varies  with  time  of 
entrance.  Early  in  the  evening,  "  barbarians  " 
are  charged  four  bits,  but  the  Celestials  find  open 
doors  to  the  front  or  best  seats,  for  two  bits. 
After  ten  o'clock,  the  Melican  man  can  secure  an 
entrance  for  two  bits,  and  anyone  going  at  this 
hour  can  see  all  he  desires  before  the  end  is  an- 
nounced. The  best  parts  of  the  play  are  seldom 
reached  before  11  o'clock,  and  the  play  kept  up 
often  until  2  or  3  o'clock.  For  a  private  box, 
$2.50  is  charged. 

There  are  no  stage-curtains,  no  flies,  or  shift- 
ing scenes,  no  decorations  of  any  kind,  simply  a 
platform,  at  the  rear  of  which  the  orchestra  sits, 
and  on  either  side  of  the  musicians,  is  a  door  for 


289 


INTERIOR  OF  CHINESE  THEATRE. 


ingress  or  exit.  As  the  deception  is  perfectly 
apparent,  when  one  falls  in  war  or  passion,  and 
is  not  carried  off  the  stage,  nor  hidden  behind 
the  drop,  but  rises  and  trots  away,  there  is  a 
decided  feeling  that  the  whole  thing  is  "  too 
thin  "  for  long  enjoyment. 

The  acting  is  as  rude  as  all  the  surroundings, 
yet  it  is  often  true  to  Chinese  life.  During 
the  play  of  a  comedy,  the  whole  audience  has 
been  convulsed  with  laughter,  over  and  over 
again,  almost  without  cessation,  suddenly  break- 
ing out  in  loud  exclamations ;  but  usually  their 
faces  are  unmoved,  except  as  they  munch  the 
pea-nuts,  sugar-cane,  etc.,  peddled  throughout 
the  room,  or  as  they  sink  into  dreamy  contem- 
plation, under  the  satisfying  influence  of  a 
pure  Havana  of  their  own  make. 

The  costumes  are  a  marvel  of  gaudiness,  but 
devoid  of  all  elegance.  The  plays  are  nearly  all 
of  historic  character, — rebels  plotting  for  pos- 
session of  the  government,  sometimes  seated  on 
the  throne ;  messengers  sent  out  to  negotiate ; 
and  encounters  between  the  rival  factions. 

Sometimes  a  love  plot  is  enacted  when  the  old 
man  and  old  woman  torture  and  rack  the  girl, 

19 


and  the  miser  is  apt  to  appear  with  his  bag  of 
gold  to  be  stolen  or  wrested  from  him  over  his 
dead  body. 

In  nearly  every  play  there  are  acrobatic  feats 
of  a  truly  creditable  character.  The  actors 
whirl  and  double  up  and  turn  somersaults,  till 
the  modern  gymnast  is  quite  put  to  shame. 

There  is  no  great  variety  of  performers — no 
"  stars  "  on  the  stage,  but  some  plays  draw  more 
than  others;  and  what  is  most  striking,  there  are 
no  female  performers.  Men  dressed  as  women 
talk  in  a  sing-song  tone,  and  falsetto  voice.  The 
deception  in  this  respect  is  greater  than  any 
other,  and  foreigners  would  go  away  fully  con- 
vinced, that  they  had  listened  to  female  perform- 
ers and  heard  attempts  to  sing,  unless  told  to  the 
contrary. 

The  music  is  simply  horrible.  While  the  men 
in  the  audience  and  the  orchestra  sit  with  hats 
on,  the  orchestra  may  have  their  coats  off,  work- 
ing away  like  blacksmiths  on  the  loud  cymbals, 
triangles,  guitar,  fiddles,  gongs  and  wind,  instru- 
ments, keeping  up  an  incessant  din  scarcely  less 
than  infernal. 

But  the  Chinese  enjoy  their  theatre,  and  for 


290 


interesting  plays,  or  at  intervals  of  a  few  months, 
when  a  new  play  begins,  the  house  will  be 
crowded.  In  China,  a  company  of  actors  is  fre- 
quently hired  to  play  at  home. 

Funerals  and  Honoring  the  Dead. — 
The  funerals  are  conducted  with  great  pomp. 
The  corpse  is  sometimes  placed  on  the  side- 
walk, with  a  roast  hog,  and  innumerable  other 
dishes  of  cooked  food  near  it,  when  hired  mourn- 
ers with  white  sheets  about  them,  and  two  or 
three  priests  as  masters  of  ceremony,  and  an 
orchestra  of  their  hideous  music,  keep  up  for 
hours  such  unearthly  sounds  as  ought  to 
frighten  away  all  evil  spirits. 

The  wagon-load  of  food  precedes  the  corpse 
to  the  grave,  and  from  it  is  strewn  "  cash,"  on 
paper  to  open  an  easy  passage  to  the  "  happy 
hunting  grounds  "  of  the  other  world. 

Ancestral  Worship — is  the  most  common 
of  all  worship  among  the  Chinese.  Tablets 
may  be  seen  in  stores,  dwellings  and  rooms  con- 
nected with  temples.  Its  origin  is  shrouded 
in  mystery.  One  account  derives  it  from  an  at- 
tendant to  a  prince  about  350  B.  C.  The  prince 
while  traveling,  was  about  to  perish  from  hun- 
ger, when  he  cut  a  piece  of  flesh  from  his  thigh, 
and  had  it  cooked  for  his  master,  and  perished 
soon  after.  When  the  prince  found  the  corpse 
of  the  devoted  servant,  he  was  moved  to  tears, 
and  erected  a  tablet  to  his  memory,  and  made 
daily  offerings  of  incense  before  it.  Other 
absurd  stories  of  filial  devotion  are  told  for  the 
same  purpose. 

The  ancestral  tablet  of  families,  varies  from 
two  to  three  inches  in  width,  and  12  to  18  in 
height,  and  some  are  cheap  and  others  costly. 
There  are  usually  three  pieces  of  wood,  one  a 
pedestal  and  two  uprights,  but  sometimes  only 
two  pieces  are  used.  One  of  the  upright  pieces 
projects  forward  over  the  other  from  one  to  three 
inches. 

One  tablet  can  honor  only  one  individual,  and 
is  worshiped  for  from  three  to  five  generations. 
To  the  spirit  of  ancestors  a  sacrifice  of  meats, 
vegetables,  fruits,  etc.,  is  often  made  with  mag- 
nificence and  pomp,  and  the  annual  worship  of 
ancestral  dead  at  their  tombs,  is  of  national  ob- 
servance, and  occurs  usually  in  April,  and 
always  106  days  after  the  winter  solstice. 

The  offerings  are  more  plentiful  than  the 
meats  at  a  barbecue  in  the  Far  South,  carcasses 
of  swine,  ducks,  chickens,  wagon-loads  of  all  sorts 
of  food  and  cups  of  tea, 'are  deposited  at  the 
graves;  fire-crackers  continually  exploded,  and 
mock  money  and  mock  clothing  freely  consumed. 
All  kneel  and  bow  in  turn  at  the  grave,  from  the 
highest  to  the  lowest. 

As  in  the  case  of  the  gods,  the  dead  consume 
the  immaterial  and  essential  elements,  and  leave 
the  coarse  parts  for  the  living.  Unlike  the' gods, 
the  dead  consume  ducks.  "  Idol  no  likee  duck, 
likee  pork,  chicken,  fruits." 


New  Year — is  the  great  season  for  social 
pleasure  —  the  universal  holiday.  All  work 
ceases  for  the  day,  for  a  week  or  two  weeks  ;  and 
the  stores  are  never  closed  except  at  this  season  ; 
and  the  prosperity  and  standing  of  firms  is  meas- 
ured by  the  length  of  time  the  store  is  shut.  In 
China,  stores  are  sometimes  closed  for  two  or  three 
months.  Every  one  makes  New  Year's  calls,  and 
gives  himself  up  to  enjoyment,  and  before  New 
Year  all  debts  must  be  paid,  and  accounts  ad- 
justed. 

The  Method  of  Calculating  and  Count- 
ing— is  very  rapid,  and  may  be  seen  in  any  store. 
Counters  are  strung  like  beads  on  wires  and 
framed,  and  astonishing  results  reached  with 
these  before  "  the  barbarian  "  has  written  down 
his  figures.  For  writing  they  use  rice-paper, 
India  ink  and  camel's-hair  pencils. 

Opium  Smoking — is  a  common  practice. 
Restaurants,  the  Clay  Street  and  Dupont  Street 
Temples,  many  stores  and  shops  have  the  low 
tables  or  hard  lounges  on  which  the  smokers  re- 
cline. 

A  block  serves  for  a  pillow.  The  opium,  pipe, 
lamp  and  a  five-inch  steel  needle  are  all  that  is 
necessary  to  bind  the  victim  in  fatal  fascination. 
The  poisonous  drug  is  boiled  into  a  thick  jelly- 
like  mass,  and  with  the  needle  a  small  portion  is 
scraped  from  the  vessel  containing  it,  rolled  into 
a  pill  on  the  end  of  the  needle,  and  placed  in  the 
flame  until  it  swells  like  a  soap-bubble,  half  an 
inch  in  diameter. 

The  pipe  has  an  inverted  bowl  with  a  flat,  cir- 
cular top,  two  inches  in  diameter,  in  the  center 
of  which  is  a  small  opening,  in  which  the  heated 
paste  is  placed,  and  as  the  smoker  reclines  on 
his  side  he  places  the  pipe  to  the  flame  and  takes 
two  or  three  short  whiffs,  removes  the  pipe,  and 
lies  back  motionless,  while  the  smoke  is  blown 
slowly  through  his  pallid  nostrils.  He  repeats 
the  process  till  he  falls  back  in  a  state  of  silly 
stupefaction,  alike  pitiable  and  disgusting.  Once 
formed,  the  habit  is  never  given  up,  and  only 
three  or  five  years  will  wreck  the  strongest 
constitution  and  noblest  manhood. 

Exaggerated  stories  are  told  of  visits  to  these 
dens  by  youth  and  women  of  American  descent, 
for  indulging  in  this  vice,  but  they  are  rare  and 
only  by  the  lowest  classes  of  the  women. 

Why  Americans  do  not  Speah  the 
Chinese  Language. — There  is  no  alphabet, 
and  the  characters  used  are  variously  estimated 
at  from  25,000  to  80,000. 

There  is  one  written  language,  but  twenty  or 
more  dialects,  as  the  natives  have  twenty  or  more 
ways  of  pronouncing  the  numerals  1,  2  and  3, 
which  are  alike  to  the  eye  of  the  Frenchman  and 
German. 

The  dialects  may  also  be  written.  And  each 
of  the  numerous  characters  may  have  a  widely 
different  meaning  by  the  slightest  change  of  tone 
or  inflection. 


291 


A  teacher,  with  some  knowledge  of  the  lan- 
guage, was  instructing  the  class  in  Bible  truth 
and  endeavoring  to  tell  the  interesting  story  of 
Samson  slaying  a  lion  with  the  jaw-bone  of  an 
ass,  and  perceived  a  strange  look  on  the  scholars' 
faces,  and  found  that  the  slightest  error  of  in- 
flection had  made  the  story  run — "  he  killed  the 
lion  with  the  jaw-bone  of  a  louse." 

To  convert  them  to  Christianity  is  a  difficult 
work,  for  many  reasons.  Besides  the  barrier  of 
a  language  that  is  almost  impossible  to  acquire, 
many  of  the  characters  express  inadequately  the 
ideas  of  the  Christian  religion,  and  the  Chinese 
often  form  erroneous  opinions  concerning  it, 
from  other  sources.  One  was  questioned,  and 
replied  as  follows : 

Q.     "  Joke,  do  you  know  God?  " 

A.  "  God  ?  No  —  No  sabee,"  (Shaking  his 
head  and  wearing  a  vacant  look.) 

Q.  "  God,  Melican  man's  Josh — you  no  sabcc 
GodT' 

A.      "No,  me  no  sabee  God." 

Q.     "  You  sabee  Jesus  Christ  1 " 

A.  "  Yes,  me  sabee  him,  Jesus  Christ.  Duffy 
call  him  cows." 

The  Chinese  Missions. — An  eminent  Jesuit 
has  said,  as  quoted  in  The  Monitor :  "  These 
pagans,  these  vicious,  these  immoral  creatures 
are  incapable  of  rising  to  the  virtue  that  is 
inculcated  by  the  religion  of  Jesus  Christ,  the 
World's  Redeemer  and  the  Catholics  make  no 
attempt  to  instruct  them  in  true  devotion  to  the 
Virgin  or  the  church. 

The  oldest  and  largest  mission  is  that  of  the 
Presbyterians,  at  the  corner  of  Sacramento  and 
Stockton  Streets,  where  an  evening  school  is  held 
daily  except  Sunday,  when  religious  services  and 
Sunday  School  are  held.  Two  Americans  who 
speak  the  Cantonese  dialect,  Rev.  Dr.  Loomis  and 
John  G.  Kerr,  M.  D.,  their  wives,  six  other  Ameri- 
cans and  three  Chinese  assistants,  are  connected 
with  this  mission  and  its  out  stations  in  Sacra- 
mento and  San  Jose.  Besides  the  school  there  is 
a  home  for  Chinese  women,  to  which  the  superin- 
tendent and  a  band  of  Christian  women  seek  to 
gather  the  unfortunate  and  degraded  for  instruc- 
tions in  sewing,  embroidery,  other  useful  occu- 
pations and  moral  reform. 

There  is  a  church  connected  with  the  Presby- 
terian Mission  of  63  members,  and  another  with 
the  Methodist  Mission  of  35  members  and  a 
Chinese  Young  Men's  Christian  Association  of 
all  the  churches,  numbering  nearly  two  hundred 
members,  and  a  thousand  have  renounced  idola- 
try. 

Rev.  Ira  M.  Condit  and  wife,  connected  with 
this  mission  for  several  years,  have  opened  a  new 
and  promising  mission  at  Los  Angeles. 

The  Methodist  Mission  is  on  Washington 
Street,  above  Stockton,  and  efficiently  managed 
under  the  zealous  superintendency  of  Rev.  Otis 
Gibson,  formerly  a  missionary  at  Fuchu.  This 


has  a  branch  at  San  Jose,  schools  and  home  for 
women,  and  several  assistants  like  the  mission 
before  described. 

On  the  west  side  of  ;'  The  Plaza  "  opposite  the 
City  Hall,  are  the  head-quarters  of  the  Amer- 
ican Missionary  Association,  connected  with 
which  are  several  schools  in  Oakland,  Santa 
Barbara,  and  other  parts  of  the  State. 

The  Baptists  have  also  a  flourishing  mission 
on  Washington  Street,  near  Dupont,  and  many 
of  the  churches  have  Sunday  Schools  for  the 
Chinese,  as  Doctor  Stone's,  Mr.  Hemphill's,  Mr. 
Fiske's,  Doctor  Lathrop's,  and  others  in  San 
Francisco ;  and  Doctor  McLean's  and  Doctor 
Eell's  of  Oakland. 

A  specimen  of  their  amusing  attempts  at 
English,  is  given  herewith,  as  found  at  the  en- 
trance to  an  alley  or  court  on  Sacramento  Street, 
just  below  Stockton : 


TUCK 
MAKE 


LIVE  JN  THE LAHE 


The  meaning  is,  Lee  Tuck  makes  cages,  and 
his  workshop  is  at  No.  or  room  16,  in  the  alley 
or  court,  and  it  can  be  reached  without  climbing 
long  flights  of  rickety  stairs,  and  this  being  his 
dwelling  also,  he  is  at  home  at  all  times. 

Whether  they  are  more  successful  in  making 
poetry,  the  reader  may  determine,  from  the  fol- 
lowing, which  has  been  attributed  to  one  of 
their  scholars,  but  perhaps  erroneously,  viz  : 

"  How  doth  the  little  busy  bee, 
Delight  to  bark  and  bite, 
And  gather  honey  all  the  day, 
And  eat  it  up  at  night." 

It  is  even  doubtful  whether  it  has  been  de- 
rived in  any  way  from  Confucius,  or  any  of 
their  classics. 

Instances  are  told  of  their  honesty  to  an  extent 
that  is  exceedingly  rare  among  American  Chris- 
tians, as  of  one  who  in  purchasing  a  knife  select- 
ed one  at  a  dollar  and  a  half,  instead  of  one  at 
half  a  dollar,  and  received  a  dollar  too  much  in 
change,  and  discovered  the  error  only  after  he 
reached  his  home.  The  next  day  he  walked  back 
three  miles  to  return  the  money  ! 


:3!!,i,{   H.'jifi-.. 


293 


HOW    TO    REACH    IT. 


By  Prof.  F.  V.  Harden,  — U.   8.    Geological  Survey. 


THE  Yellowstone  Park  is  the  grandest  pleasure 
ground  arid  resort  for  wonderful  scenery  on  the 
American  Continent,  and  doubtless  the  time  is 
not  far  distant,  when  Pacific  tourists  will  make 
it  one  of  their  most  interesting  pleasure  trips. 
The  word  park,  naturally  brings  to  the  mind 
of  the  reader,  visions  of  the  park  as  he  finds  it 
in  our  eastern  cities,  or  in  foreign  capitals  ;  with 
its  beautiful  drives,  and  its  well  kept  walks,  and 
neatly  trimmed  grass-plats.  In  imagination  he 
sees  the  usual  sign-board ;  with  rules  and  regula- 
tions, and  the  warning,  "keep  off  the  grass." 
He  sees  them  in  imagination  alone ;  for  in  the 
Yellowstone  National  Park,  roads  are  few  and 
far  between.  Animals  untamed,  sufficient  to 
furnish  innumerable  zoological  gardens,  wander 
at  will  through  the  dense  pine  forests,  or  bask 
in  the  sunlight  in  beautiful  grassy  openings, 
whose  surfaces  are  perfect  flower  gardens,  re- 
splendent with  hues  that  rival  the  rainbow. 

Elk,  deer,  antelope,  and  smaller  game,  are 
found  in  profusion;  and  all  the  streams  and 
lakes  abound  in  fish ;  large  and  delicious  trout ; 
making  the  park  a  paradise  for  the  hunter  and 
sportsman. 

To  the  artist,  and  lover  of  nature,  are  pre- 
sented combinations  of  beauty  in  grand  pan- 
oramas and  magnificent  landscapes,  that  are 
seldom  equaled  elsewhere.  Snow-capped  mount- 
ains tower  grandly  above  the  valley,  seeming  to 
pierce  the  clouds  ;  while  at  their  feet  are  streams, 
that  now  plunge  into  the  depths  of  dark  and 
profound  canons,  and  anon  emerge  into  lovely 
meadow-like  valleys  through  which  they  wind 
in  graceful  curves;  often  expanding  into  noble 
lakes  with  pine  fringed  shores,  or  breaking  into 
picturesque  falls  and  rapids. 

To  the  student  of  science,  few  portions  of  the 
globe  present  more  that  is  calculated  to  instruct 
or  entertain.  Strange  phenomena  are  abundant. 


In  the  crevices  of  rocks,  which  are  the  result  of 
volcanic  action,  are  found  almost  all  the  known 
varieties  of  hot  springs  and  geysers.  Geysers 
like  those  of  Iceland  are  here  seen  on  a  grander 
scale.  The  wonderful  "  Te  Tarata  "  Spring  of 
New  Zealand,  has  its  rival  in  the  Mammoth  Hot 
Springs  of  Gardiner's  River;  while  the  mud 
springs  and  mud  geysers  of  Java  have  their  rep- 
resentatives. Sulphur  and  steam  vents,  that 
are  usually  found  in  similar  regions,  are  nu- 
merous. 

Captains  Lewis  and  Clarke,  in  their  explora- 
tion of  the  head  waters  of  the  Missouri,  in  1805, 
seem  to  have  heard  nothing  of  the  marvels  at  the 
sources  of  the  Madison  and  Yellowstone.  They 
placed  Yellowstone  Lake  on  their  map,  as  a  large 
body  of  water,  having  in  all  probability,  derived 
their  information  from  the  Indians. 

In  later  years,  however,  there  began  to  be 
rumors  of  burning  plains,  boiling  springs,  vol- 
canoes that  ejected  water  and  mud ;  great  lakes, 
and  other  wonders.  The  imagination  was  freely 
drawn  upon,  and  most  astounding  tales  were 
told,  of  petrified  forests,  peopled  with  petrified 
Indians  ;  and  animals  turned  to  stone.  Streams 
were  said  to  flow  so  rapidly  over  their  rocky 
beds,  that  the  water  became  heated. 

In  1859,  Colonel  Raynolds,  of  the  United 
States  Corps  of  Engineers,  passed  entirely 
around  the  Yellowstone  Basin.  He  intended 
going  to  the  head  of  the  Yellowstone,  and  down 
the  river,  and  across  to  the  three  forks  of  the 
Missouri,  but  was  unable  to  carry  out  his  plans. 
In  1869/a  party  under  Cook  and  Folsom,  visited 
Yellowstone  Lake  and  the  Geyser  Basins  of  the 
Madison,  but  no  report  of  their  trip  was  pub- 
lished. 

The  first  trustworthy  accounts  given  of  the  re- 
gion, were  the  result  of  an  expedition  led  by 
General  Washburn,  the  Surveyor-General  of 


294 


Montana,  and  escorted  by  a  small  body  of  U.  S. 
Cavalry,  under  Lieut.  G.  C.  Doane,  in  1870. 
They  spent  about  a  month  in  the  interesting 
localities  on  the  Yellowstone  and  Madison  Riv- 
ers, and  Mr.  -N.  P.  Langford  made  the  results  of 
the  exploration  known  to  the  world,  in  two  ar- 
ticles published  in  the  second  volume  of  Scrib- 
ner's  Magazine.  Lieutenant  Doane  also  made  a 
report  to  the  War  Department,  which  was  pub- 
lished by  the  government.  (Ex.  Doc.,  No.  51, 
41st  Congress). 

In  1871,  a  large  and  thoroughly  organized  party 
made  a  systematic  survey,  under  the  auspices  of 
the  Department  of  the  Interior,  conducted  by  Dr. 
Hayden,  United  States  Geologist.  He  was  accom- 
panied, also,  by  a  small  party,  under  Brevet  Col. 
John  W.  Barlow,  Chief  Engineer  of  the  Mili- 
tary Department  of  the  Missouri,  who  was  sent 
out  by  General  Sheridan. 

Through  the  accurate  and  detailed  reports  of 
that  exploration,  the  wonders  of  the  Yellowstone 
became  widely  known,  both  at  home  and  abroad. 

In  February,  1872,  the  Congress  of  the  United 
States  passed  an  act  reserving  an  area  of  about 
3,400  square  miles,  in  the  north-western  corner 
of  Wyoming  Territory,  and  intruding  partially 
upon  Montana,  withdrawing  it  from  settlement, 
occupancy,  or  sale,  under  the  laws  of  the  United 
States  ;  dedicating  and  setting  it  apart  as  a  pub- 
lic Park,  or  pleasuring  ground,  for  the  benefit 
and  enjoyment  of  the  people. 

It  extends  from  the  44th  to  the  45th  parallel 
of  latitude,  and  from  the  110th  meridian  to  a 
short  distance  beyond  the  lllth.  Its  general 
elevation  is  high ;  averaging  about  6,000  feet ;  or 
nearly  the  height  of  Mount  Washington,  in  the 
White  Mountains.  The  Mountain  Ranges  have 
a  general  elevation  from  9,000  to  10,000  feet 
above  sea  level,  although  many  sharp  and  rug- 
ged peaks  rise  considerably  above  this.  The 
country  is  so  elevated  that  it  could  scarcely  ever 
be  available  for  agricultural  purposes.  The  win- 
ter extends  far  into  the  spring,  and  it  is  no  un- 
usual thing  to  find  snow  covering  September's 
flowers. 

During  July  and  August  the  weather  is  de- 
lightful ;  the  thermometer  rarely,  if  ever,  rising 
higher  than  70°  Fahrenheit.  In  the  early  morn- 
ing, however,  it  often  records  26°  ;  and  some- 
times falls  as  low  as  10°  or  12°.  The  air  is  so 
dry  and  invigorating  that  the  cold  is  not  felt  as 
much  as  higher  temperatures  are,  in  the  moister 
eastern  climate. 

Near  the  north-east  corner  of  the  Park,  heads 
Clarke's  Fork,  of  the  Yellowstone.  From  the 
south-west,  Snake  River,  or  Lewis'  Fork  of  the 
Columbia,  starts  toward  the  Pacific ;  while  on 
the  western  side,  the  Madison  and  Gallatin 
Rivers,  two  of  the  three-  branches  that  unite  to 
form  the  Missouri,  have  their  origin. 

We  can  climb  a  low  ridge  and  see  the  water 
flowing  beneath  our  feet ;  the  streams  on  one  side 


destined  to  mingle  with  the  mighty  Pacific,  and, 
perhaps,  to  lave  the  shores  of  China  and  Japan ; 
while  those  on  the  other,  flow  down  the  Missouri 
and  Mississippi  Rivers,  to  be  lost  eventually  in 
I  the  great  Atlantic.  Who  knows  but  that  drops 
of  water,  starting  here  in  opposite  directions, 
may  some  day  meet  on  an  opposite  quarter  of 
the  globe? 

The  largest  mass  of  water  in  the  Park  is  the 
Yellowstone  Lake,  which  lies  near  the  south- 
eastern corner  of  the  Park,  from  the  upper  part 
of  which  the  Yellowstone  River  flows  in  a  north- 
erly direction,  and  after  a  course  of  1,300  miles, 
reaches  the  Missouri,  having  descended  about 
7,000  feet.  Thus  we  have  here  the  heads,  or 
sources,  of  two  of  the  largest  rivers  of  the  Conti- 
nent, rising  in  close  proximity  to  each  other. 
The  divides,  or  water-sheds  between  them,  are 
comparatively  low,  and  sometimes  it  is  difficult 
to  say  in  which  direction  the  water  flows ; 
whether  to  the  Pacific,  or  to  the  Atlantic. 

Routes  to  the  National  Park. — There 
are  several  routes  to  the  wonder-land  of  the  Na- 
tional Park.  The  first,  which  is  the  most  practi- 
cable, the  pleasantest,  and  the  one  in  common 
use.  is  the  following,  via  Ogden  : 

Ogden,  Utah,  is  reached  from  the  East  via  the 
Union  Pacific  Railroad,  and  connecting  lines, 
and  from  the  West  by  the  Central  Pacific  Rail- 
road. 

From  Ogden,  take  the  Utah  Northern  Railroad 
to  Franklin  in  Idaho  Territory,  whence  there 
is  a  stage  line  to  Virginia  City  and  Bozeman. 
The  tourist  has  the  choice  of  starting  from  either 
of  these  places,  at  both  of  which  a  complete  out- 
fit of  supplies,  animals  and  guides  may  be  ob- 
tained. 

From  Bozeman,  the  route  is  up  the  Yellow- 
stone River  and  across  to  the  Geyser  Basins,  and 
thence  by  way  of  the  Madison  River  to  Virginia 
City.  This  is  the  route  that  will  be  followed  in 
the  description.  There  is  a  wagon  road  from 
Bozeman  to  the  Mammoth  Hot  Springs,  where 
there  is  said  to  be  a  hotel. 

From  Virginia  City  there  is  the  choice  of  two 
roads,  one  of  which  is  to  cross  to  the  Madison 
and  follow  the  trail  up  the  river  through  the 
Second  Canon  to  the  Geyser  Basins.  The  best, 
however,  is  to  follow  the  wagon  road  which  is 
completed  to  the  Upper  Geyser  Basin.  It  leaves 
the  south-eastern  limit  of  Virginia  City,  and 
strikes  the  Madison  near  Wigwam  Creek,  where 
it  crosses  the  river  and  follows  it  to  a  point  just 
above  the  crossing  of  Lawrence  Creek.  Here  it 
recrosses  and  closely  follows  the  river  to  Drift- 
wood or  Big  Bend,  three  miles  below  the  Second 
Canon.  It  then  leaves  the  Madison  Valley  and 
crosses  through  Raynolds'  Pass  to  Henry's  Lake, 
the  head  water  of  Henry's  Fork  of  Snake  River. 

From  Sawtelle's  Ranche,  on  the  lake,  the  road 
follows  the  east  shore  of  the  lake  for  three  miles 
in  a  southerly  direction,  when  it  turns  to  the 


295 


north-east  and  passes  through  Tyghee  or  Targee 
Pass  and  down  Beaver  Dam  Creek,  over  the 
South  Fork  of  the  Madison,  and  strikes  the 
mouth  of  the  Fire  Hole  Canon,  16  miles  below 
the  Lower  Geyser  Basin.  It  then  follows  the 
river  closely,  crossing  twice  before  reaching  the 
basin. 

From  the  basins,  the  route  is  either  via  Mud 
Volcanoes,  Shoshone  Lake,  or  Yellowstone  Lake, 
to  the  Yellowstone  and  Bozeman.  About  a 
month  ought  to  be  allowed  for  the  round  trip. 

A  second  route,  and  one  which  shortens  the 
stage  ride,  is  to  purchase  an  outfit  at  Salt  Lake, 
or  Ogden,  and  send  it  ahead  to  Market  Lake,  in 
Snake  River  Valley,  joining  it  via  the  railroad 
to  Franklin  and  stage  line  to  Market  Lake. 
This  saves  about  230  miles  of  staging.  It  is 
about  100  miles  by  a  pack  train  trail  from 
Market  Lake  to  Henry's  Lake  from  which  point 
the  Virginia  City  wagon  road  is  followed  to  the 
"  Geyser  Basins." 

Another  route  from  Market  Lake,  which  is 
long  and  somewhat  out  of  the  way,  but  more  in- 
teresting, as  it  gives  an  opportunity  to  visit 
Mount  Hayden  and  passes  some  magnificent 
scenery,  is  to  travel  with  a  pack  train  up  Pierre's 
River,  across  Teton  Pass,  and  up  the  main  Snake 
River  to  Shoshone  Lake,  whence  the  other  points 
of  interest  in  the  Park  are  readily  reached.  This 
is  one  of  the  routes  followed  by  the  Hayden 
Geological  Survey  in  1872. 

Third.  Camp  Brown  is  a  military  post  about 
120  miles  from  Rawlins  Springs  Station  on  the 
Union  Pacific  Railroad,  with  which  it  is  con- 
nected by  a  stage  road.  The  trail  from  Camp 
Brown  to  Yellowstone  Lake  is  said  to  be  easy 
and  the  distance  only  about  140  miles.  It  crosses 
the  mountains  at  the  head  of  the  Upper  Yellow- 
stone River,  which  stream  it  follows  to  the  lake. 

Captain  Jones,  in  1873,  surveyed  a  route  from 
Point  of  Rocks  Station,  on  the  Union  Pacific 
Railroad,  via  Camp  Brown,  the  Wind  River 
Valley,  and  the  head  of  Wind  River  to  the  Yel- 
lowstone. He  claims  that  it  saves  482  miles  in 
reaching  Yellowstone  Lake.  The  great  draw- 
back is  that  it  is  often  unsafe  on  account  of 
Indians,  and  very  much  obstructed  by  fallen 
timber. 

Fourth.  There  is  the  Missouri  River  route. 
The  river  is  navigable  as  far  as  Fort  Benton 
until  late  in  the  summer,  and  thence  140  miles 
of  staging  will  take  us  to  Helena,  118  miles  from 
Bozeman. 

From  Bismark,  the  present  terminus  of  the 
Northern  Pacific  Railroad,  a  trip  of  ten  or  fifteen 
days,  will  bring  the  traveler  to  Fort  Benton.  It 
will  be  a  tedious  journey,  however,  over  the 
"  bad  lands  "  of  Dakotah. 

Another  plan  is  to  disembark  at  the  mouth  of 
the  Mussel  Shell  River,  and  having  ordered 
horses  to  be  in  readiness,  to  take  the  wagon  trail 
to  the  Crow  Indian  Agency  at  the  Big  Bend  of 


the  Yellowstone.  This  would  give  150  miles  of 
land  travel  through  a  prairie  country  abounding 
in  antelope  and  buffalo,  and  sometimes  Indians. 

The  National  Park  may  also  be  visited  from 
the  British  Possessions,  and  also  by  a  road  which 
follows  the  Hell  Gate  and  Bitter  Root  Rivers 
from  the  west,  from  Walla  Walla. 

Otitfitting. — A  few  words  about  outfitting 
may  be  useful. 

It  is  scarcely  worth  while  to  take  wagons,  as 
they  can  be  taken  over  only  a  portion  of  the 
route,  while  a  pack  train  may  be  taken  any- 
where. The  latter  is  therefore  preferable,  and 
for  it  a  saddle  animal  apiece,  and  two  pack 
mules  for  every  three  persons,  will  be  sufficient, 
if  too  many  delicacies  are  not  carried.  A  better 
allowance  is  one  pack  mule  for  every  member  of 
the  party.  Two  packers  and  a  cook  will  be  re- 
quired. One  of  the  former  ought  to  be  well  ac- 
quainted with  the  country,  so  as  to  act  also  in  the 
capacity  of  guide.  A  hunter  will  also  be  a 
good  addition  to  the  party.  Such  men  can  easily 
be  found  at  Bozeman  and  Virginia  City. 

Thick  woolen  clothing,  stout  boots,  and  broad- 
brimmed  hats  should  be  worn.  Tents,  plenty 
of  blankets,  and  hunting  and  fishing  tackle 
should  not  be  neglected.  In  the  way  of  provis- 
ions, substantials  are  in  order ;  $25  per  man,  for  a 
month's  trip,  will  be  a  liberal  allowance.  Pack 
and  saddle  animals  can  be  procured  at  Bozeman 
or  Virginia  City,  for  from  $ 60  to  $125  apiece. 

The  following  tables  of  distances,  are  com- 
piled principally  from  the  reports  of  the  United 
States  Geological  Survey : 

Ogden,  Utah,  to  Franklin,  Idaho,  by  rail,  80}£  miles. 

Franklin  to  Virginia  City,  Montana,  (stage),  317  miles. 
Virginia  City  to  Bozeman,  (stage),  66  miles. 

Franklin  to  Market  Lake.  Snake  River  Valley,    152    miles. 
Point  of  Rocks  Station,  Union  Pacific  Railroad 
to  Yellowstone  Lake,  by  Captain  Jones'  route,  289    miles. 

BOZEMAN  TO  GEYSER  BASINS,  via  YELLOWSTONE  RIVER. 

Bozeman,  0  miles. 

Fort  Ellis,  3  miles. 

Divide  between  Spring  and  Trail  Creeks,  16  miles. 

Boteler's  Ranche  on  Yellowstone  River,  39  miles. 

Foot  of  Second  Canon  of  the  Yellowstone,  52  miles. 

Devil's  Slide  at  Cinnabar  Mountain,  60  miles. 

Bridge  near  mouth  of  Gardiner's  River,  68  miles. 

Cache  Valley,  the  mouth  of  East  Fork  of  Yel- 
lowstone, 84  miles. 

Crossing  of  Tower  Creek,  88  miles. 

Divide  on  spur  from  Mount  Washburn,  94  miles. 

Crossing  of  Cascade  Creek,  108  miles. 

Mud  Volcanoes,  HT  miles. 

Yellowstone  Lake  at  head  of  River,  124  miles. 

Head  of  Yellowstone  River,  to  Hot  Springs  on 

South-west  arm  of  Lake,  15  miles. 

Hot  Springs  to  Upper  Geyser  Basin,  15  miles. 

Mud  Volcanoes  to  Lower  Geyser  Basin,  24  miles. 

Bridge  near  mouth  of  Gardiner's  River,  to 

Mammpth  Hot  Springs,  4  miles. 


MARKET  LAKE  TO  YELLOWSTONE  LAKE. 


Market  Lake, 
Henry's  Lake, 
Tyghee  Pass, 
Gibbon's  Fork, 
Lower  Geyser  Basin, 
Upper  Geyser  Basin, 
Divide, 


0  miles. 
100  miles. 
110  miles. 
133  miles. 
140  miles. 
148  miles. 
158  miles. 


296 


Shosbone  Geyser  Basin, 

Lewis  Lake, 

Hot  Springs,  Yellowstone  Lake, 


162  miles. 
172  miles. 

180  miles. 


VIRGINIA  CITY  TO  YELLOWSTONE  LAKE,  via  WAGOK  ROAD 
TO  GEYSER  BASINS. 

Virginia  City,  0  miles. 
Madison  River,  half  mile  from  Wigwam  Creek,       14  miles. 

Driftwood  or  Big  Bend  of  Madison,  42  miles. 

Henry's  Lake,  60  miles. 

Tyghee  Pass,  63  miles. 

Gibbons'  Fork,  86  miles. 

Lower  Geyser  Basin,  93  miles. 

Upper  Geyser  Basin,  101  miles. 

Yellowstone  Lake,  116  miles. 

The  Yellowstone  Vattey. — Starting  from 
Bozeman,  or  Fort  Ellis, — three  miles  from  the 
former  place,  and  one  of  the  most  important 
military  posts  in  the  West,  protecting,  as  it  does, 
the  rich  agricultural  Gallatin  Valley  from  the 
incursions  of  the  Indians, — we  follow  up  a  small 
branch  of  the  East  Gallatin,  through  a  pictur- 
esque canon,  in  which  the  road  crosses  and  re- 
crosses  the  stream  many  times,  in  the  seven 
miles  of  its  length. 

From  the  head  of  this  creek  we  cross  a  low 
saddle  to  Trail  Creek,  down  which  we  proceed  to 
the  valley  of  the  Yellowstone.  Long  before  we 
reach  it  our  eyes  are  greeted  with  the  summits  of 
one  of  the  most  symmetrical  and  remarkable 
ranges  to  be  seen  in  the  West;  the  Snowy  Yel- 
lowstone Range,  standing  on  the  eastern  side  of 
the  river.  Sharp,  jagged  peaks  and  pyramidal 
masses  stand  out  boldly  against  the  sky,  their 
snow-crowned  heads  glittering  in  the  sunlight. 

As  we  come  into  the  valley,  the  first  view  is 
grand  and  picturesque.  The  vista  extends  for 
thirty  miles  along  the  river  ;  on  the  opposite  side 
the  mountains  rise  magnificently.  Emigrant 
Peak,  10,629  feet  above  sea  level  and  nearly 
6,000  feet  above  the  valley,  stands  at  the 
head  of  the  range,  and  from  its  melting  snows 
are  fed  numerous  streams  that  water  the  hills 
and  plains,  sloping  to  the  river. 

About  40  miles  from  Bozeman  we  reach  Bo- 
teler's  llanche.  For  a  long  time,  the  Boteler 
brothers  were  the  pioneers  of  civilization  in  this 
region,  and  they  have,  with  true  liberality,  en- 
tertained numerous  parties  on  their  way  to  the 
springs  and  lake. 

From  Boteler's  to  the  Second  Canon,  a  distance 
of  about  10  miles,  the  road  keeps  on  the  west 
side  of  the  river,  skirting  the  base  of  low  vol- 
canic hills. 

The  Second  Canon  stands  at  the  head  of  the 
valley  we  have  just  described.  It  is  a  gorge  less 
than  a  mile  in  length,  cut  in  granitic  rocks,  which 
rise  precipitously  on  either  side  for  a  thousand 
feet  or  more.  The  road  here  iz  really  hewn  from 
the  rock.  The  river,  of  a  beautiful  green  color, 
rushes  furiously  through  the  narrow  pass,  broken 
into  foam-capped  waves  by  the  rocks,  which  seem 
to  dispute  its  right  of  way.  One  of  the  most 
agreeable  features  of  the  canon,  and  one  rJso 
which  is  not  confined  to  it,  is  the  abundance  of 


trout  waiting  to  be  drawn  from  its  pools  and 
eddies. 

Above  the  canon  the  valley  widens,  and  we 
pass  over  a  sage  brush  covered  bottom  for  about 
ten  miles,  to  the  next  point  of  interest,  the 
"Devil's  Slide,"  at  Cinnabar  Mountain.  This 
curious  freak  of  nature  is  somewhat  like  the 
Slide  in  Weber  Canon,  on  the  Union  Pacific 
Railroad,  but  is  on  a  much  larger  scale.  Two 
parallel  walls  of  rock,  each  50  feet  wide  and  300 
feet  high,  extend  from  the  summit  of  the  mount- 
ain to  its  base.  They  are  separated  about  150 
feet ;  the  rock  between,  and  on  both  sides,  hav- 
ing been  removed  by  erosion.  Their  sides  are  as 
even  as  if  worked  with  line  and  plumb.  On 
either  side  of  the  main  slide  are  smaller  ones, 
and  in  one,  is  a  bright  red  band,  20  feet  wide, 
extending  from  the  top  to  the  bottom,  about 
1,500  feet.  From  this  red  band  of  clay,  which 
was  mistaken  for  cinnabar,  was  given  the  name 
Cinnabar  Mountain.  The  earlier  explorers  of 
these  regions,  the  mountaineers  and  trappers, 
were  evidently  impressed  with  the  novelty  of  the 
phenomena,  and  seem  to  have  dedicated  many  of 
the  localities  with  satanic  names,  which  from 
their  fitness,  are  not  likely  to  be  superseded. 
Thus  we  have  "  Devil's  Slide  ; "  "  Hell  Roaring 
River;"  "Fire-Hole  Prairie ;""  Devil's  Glen," 
etc. 

Above  Cinnabar  Mountain  the  valley  is  more 
broken  ;  and  we  cross  several  ridges,  strewn 
with  boulders  of  dark  volcanic  rocks,  obsidian 
chips,  and  beautiful  specimens  of  chalcedony 
and  semi-opal. 

Six  miles  above  the  slide,  we  come  to  the  foot 
of  the  Third  Canon,  where  the  Yellowstone  is 
joined  by  Gardiner's  River,  or  Warm  Spring 
Creek,  as  it  was  originally  called.  Here  we 
leave  the  river  to  visit  one  of  the  crowning  won- 
ders of  the  region. 

The  Mammoth  White  Mountain  Hot 
Springs. — This  group  of  springs,  is  one  of  the 
most  remarkable  within  the  limits  of  the  Na- 
tional Park,  and  as  far  as  is  known,  has  not  its 
equal  in  grandeur  in  the  world.  The  Te  Tarata 
Spring  of  New  Zealand,  is  the  nearest  approach 
to  it  in  appearance,  but  the  formation  is  of 
a  different  character;  the  Gardiner's  River 
Springs  depositing  calcareous  material,  while 
that  in  New  Zealand  is  siliceous,  like  the  deposits 
in  the  geyser  region  of  Iceland,  and  in  our  own 
geyser  basins,  at  the  head  of  the  Madison.  The 
exploring  party  of  1870,  did  not  discover  these 
springs,  and  the  Hayden  Exploring  Expedition  . 
of  1871,  was  the  first  organized  party  that  ever 
visited  them. 

Leaving  the  Yellowstone,  we  keep  some  300 
or  400  feet  above  the  level  of  the  river  for  a 
couple  of  miles,  passing  several  small  lakes, 
when  we  descend  to  the  bank  of  Gardiner's 
River,  on  the  eastern  side  of  which  is  a  high 
bluff  of  cretaceous  sandstones  capped  with  a 


297 


MTS.   HAYDEN  AND  MOKAN. 


layer  of  volcanic  rock.  On  the  edge  of  the 
stream,  we  pass  over  a  hard,  calcareous  crust, 
in  which  we  find  several  wann  springs.  At  one 
point  we  pass  a  considerable  stream  of  hot  water, 
revealed  by  the  clouds  of  steam  rising  from 
it,  flowing  from  beneath  the  crust  into  the  river. 
Turning  to  the  right,  we  ascend  the  hill,  made 
of  the  same  calcareous  deposit,  which  gives  forth 


a  hollow  sound  beneath  the  tread  of  our  horses. 
This  jiill  must  have  been  the  scene  of  active 
springs  ages  ago.  Xow,  however,  the  deposit 
has  crumbled,  and  is  overgrown  with  pines. 
The  springs  once  were  much  more  numerous 
and  far  more  active  than  at  present. 

Ascending  the  hill,  and  turning  to  the  left,  we 
come  suddenly  upon  the  marvelous  scene.     Be- 


298 


fore  us  stands  one  of  the  finest  of  nature's  archi- 
tectural efforts,  in  a  mass  of  snowy  white  de- 
posits, 200  feet  high.  It  has  the  appearance  of 
some  grand  cascade  that  has  been  suddenly  ar- 
rested in  its  descent,  and  frozen.  The  springs 
are  arranged  on  a  series  of  terraces,  that  rise  one 
above  the  other  like  steps.  There  are  fourteen 
of  these  terraces  with  active  springs,  and  others 
in  which  they  are  extinct. 

The  deposits  extend  from  the  level  of  Gar- 
diner's River,  to  the  head  of  a  gorge  1,000  feet 
higher,  a  distance  of  over  5,000  feet.  The 
area  occupied  by  it,  including  the  extinct  basins, 
is  about  three  square  miles. 

The  lowest  terrace  is  flat,  and  its  basins  are 
very  shallow  and  destitute  of  water.  From  their 
midst  rises  the  "  Liberty  Cap,"  a  conical  mass 
about  50  feet  high,  composed  of  calcareous 
sediment.  The  principal  springs  are  contained 
in  the  mass  extending  from  the  second  to  the 
twelfth  terraces,  inclusive.  Here  the  basins  are 
most  perfect,  surrounded  with  beautiful  scal- 
loped edges.  The  water  falls  from  the  upper 
basins  to  the  lower,  becoming  cooler  as  it  de- 
scends, so  that  water  of  almost  any  temperature 
may  be  found  in  which  to  bathe.  At  the  head 
of  the  gulch  are  several  mounds,  in  which  there 
are  miniature  geysers.  The  springs  are  changing 
from  year  to  year ;  dying  out  in  some  places,  and 
breaking  out  in  others. 

Toward  the  head  of  Gardiner's  River  are 
several  beautiful  cascades,  and  the  scenery  in 
the  vicinity  of  the  springs  is  varied  and  beauti- 
ful. We  must  wend  our  way  up  the  river  in 
search  of  new  wonders.  We  can  follow  either  of 
two  trails ;  one  up  the  Yellowstone  River,  and 
the  other  up  Gardiner's  River.  Both  trails 
eventually  unite,  and  lead  us  to  the  mouth  of 
the  East  Fork  of  the  Yellowstone,  about  20 
miles  from  Gardiner's  River.  A  trip  up  the  East 
Fork  will  repay  the  tourist.  The  scenery  is 
grand  beyond  description.  At  the  extreme 
sources  is  a  chaotic  mass  of  peaks,  from  the 
water-shed  between  the  East  Fork,  and  Clarke's 
Fork.  We  pass  by  the  cone  of  an  extinct 
geyser,  and  Amethyst  Mountain,  on  whose  sum- 
mit may  be  found  beautiful  amethyst  crystals 
imbedded  in  volcanic  rocks. 

Tower  Creek  and  Falls. — Tower  Creek 
is  about  three  miles  above  the  bridge  that  crosses 
the  Yellowstone,  near  the  mouth  of  the  East 
Fork.  The  trail  keeps  on  the  west  side  of  the 
river,  and  reaches  the  creek  a  short  distance 
above  the  fall,  which  is  one  of  the  most  pictur- 
esque in  the  Park.  Tower  Creek  is  a  swift 
mountain  torrent,  which,  breaking  into  rapids, 
suddenly  dashes  over  a  ledge  of  rock  and  falls 
in  one  clean  sweep  156  feet,  to  a  rounded  basin, 
cut  from  the  solid  rock,  and  then  hurries  on 
through  a  short  canon,  to  join  the  Yellowstone. 
The  rocks  about  the  fall  have  been  so  eroded  as 
to  leave  tower-like  masses,  from  50  to  100  feet 


high.  Two  of  them  stand  on  either  side,  at  the 
edge  of  the  fall,  like  huge  giants.  Let  us  ascend 
one.  Hold  on  tightly,  and  look  down.  The 
edge  of  the  fall  is  full  100  feet  below,  and  the 
foot  156  feet  farther.  There  are  a  few  unim- 
portant sulphur  springs  on  the  river,  and  oppo- 
site the  falls  are  Column  Rocks,  exposed  in  a 
bluff  346  feet  high.  There  are  three  rows  of 
basaltic  columns  from  15  to  30  feet  high ;  the 
beds  between  are  infiltrated  with  sulphur,  giving 
them  a  bright  yellow  color.  A  short  distance 
above  the  mouth  of  Tower  Creek,  is  the  lower 
end  of  the  "  Grand  Canon  "  of  the  Yellowstone, 
and  the  trail  now  leaves  the  river  to  pass  around 
the  western  base  of  Mount  Washburn.  This  is 
one  of  the  highest  peaks  in  the  neighborhood, 
rising  10,388  feet  above  sea  level.  An  hour's  ride 
will  take  the  traveler  to  its  summit,  from  which 
a  view  of  the  country  in  every  direction  is  com- 
manded, which  well  repays  one  the  tedious  climb. 
At  the  foot  of  the  mountain,  on  the  south-east- 
ern side,  is  a  group  of  mud  and  sulphur  springs 
which  have  been  called  the  "  Hell  Broth  Springs." 
To  reach  them,  the  best  way  is  to  camp  a  little 
more  than  a  mile  from  the  top  of  the  range,  on 
a  small  stream  which  is  followed  for  about  a 
mile.  A  plain  trail  leads  from  the  springs  to  the 
falls  of  the  Yellowstone,  which  will  be  our  next 
stopping  place.  The  best  camping  places  are  on 
Cascade  Creek,  about  18  miles  from  Tower 
Creek.  This  small  stream  is  parallel  to  the  Yel- 
lowstone for  the  greater  part  of  its  course,  al- 
though flowing  in  the  opposite  direction,  a  little 
over  a  mile  from  the  river.  It  soon  turns  at 
right  angles  and  joins  the  river  about  midway 
between  the  Upper  and  Lower  Falls.  Just  be- 
fore it  reaches  the  main  stream  it  passes  through 
a  deep  and  gloomy  gorge,  where  it  breaks  into  a 
cascade  of  exceeding  beauty  called  "  Crystal 
Falls."  Its  height  is  129  feet.  The  water  first 
falls  but  five  feet,  and  then  down  it  goes  fifteen 
feet,  falling  into  a  beautiful  rounded  basin  in 
which  the  clear  water  is  perfectly  placid.  From 
this  basin  the  final  leap  over  the  rocky  ledges  is 
taken. 

F«lls  of  the  Yellowstone  and  Grand 
Canon. — No  language  can  do  justice  to  the 
wonderful  grandeur  and  beauty  of  the  Grand 
Canon.  In  some  respects  it  is  the  greatest  won- 
der of  all. 

It  is  a  gorge  carved  by  the  river  in  volcanic 
rocks,  to  a  depth  increasing  from  nearly  a  thou- 
sand feet  to  over  two  thousand.  Its  length  is 
about  thirty  miles.  The  walls  are  inclined  from 
45a  to  80°,  and  in  many  places  become  vertical. 
They  are  eroded  into  towers,  spires,  and  min- 
arets. The  striking  feature  of  the  remarkable 
view  is  the  brilliancy  of  the  colors.  The  pure 
whites  of  the  decomposing  feldspar  are  mingled 
with  sulphur  yellows,  and  streaked  with  bands  of 
bright  red,  colored  with  iron.  Dense  pine  forests 
extend  to  the  edge  of  the  canon.  At  the  bottom 


299 


of  the  chasm  is  the  river, 
boiling  and  surging  as 
it  goes.  The  descent  to 
the  edge  is  best  accom- 
plished on  the  eastern 
side.  Reaching  the  bot- 
tom, we  hear  nothing  save 
the  distant  thunder  of 
the  fall  and  the  roaring 
of  the  water  as  the  furi- 
ously agitated  waves  dash 
against  the  solid  rock 
at  our  feet,  seeming  to  pro- 
test against  their  impris- 
onment. At  the  top,  the 
tall  pines  form  a  green 
margin  to  the  rocky 
walls. 

On  the  right  side  near 
the  verge  of  the  wall, 
is  a  collection  of  springs, 
mostly  mud  springs,  in 
which  the  mud  is  of  vary- 
ing consistency. 

At   the    head    of    the 
canon,  are  the  Lower  or 
Great  Falls  of  the  Yellow- 
stone.     Long  before  we 
reach  the  brink,  we  hear 
the     suppressed    roar, 
resembling  distant  thun- 
der.    The  best  views  are 
obtained    from    a    point 
on    the    canon    wall,    a 
quarter    of    a    mile    far- 
ther down,  and  from  the 
brink     of    the    precipice 
over     which     the     river 
plunges.    Let  us  approach 
and    look    over.      Down, 
down     goes     the     whirl- 
ing mass,   writhing   and 
battling  with  the   rocks, 
against   which  it   dashes 
with  a  noise  like  the  dis- 
charge of  heavy  artillery.     Here  and  there,  a 
resisting  rock  is  met,  and  the  water  rebounds, 
broken    into   myriads   of   drops,  which    throw 
back  to  us  the  sunlight  resolved  into  its  primi- 
tive colors.     The  bottom  reached,  the  column 
breaks  into  an  immense  cloud  of  spray,  whose 
moisture  nourishes  the  vegetation  on  the  walls 
near  the  fall.     The  river,  before  it  pours  over 
the  edge,  narrows   to   about   a  hundred   feet. 
The    height  of   the   fall    has    been   variously 
given.     The  measurement  with  a  line  in  1870, 
gave  350  feet  as"  the  result.     Triangulation  from 
a  base  line  on  the  edge  of  the  canon,  by  the 
Geological   Survey  in  1872,  made  it  397  feet, 
and  a  barometrical  measurement  in  1873,  by 
Captain  Jones,  made  it  328.7  feet. 

The  Upper  Falls  are  about  a  quarter  of  a  mile 


ASCENDING  THE  GLACIKKS   <> 


300 


LOWER  FALLS  OF  THE  YELLOWSTONE. 


above  the  Lower  Falls.  Between  them,  the 
river  is  in  a  canon  whose  depth  is  from  100  to 
300  feet.  Near  the  Lower  Falls  it  is  a  succes- 
sion of  rapids.  The  two  falls  are  very  unlike, 
but  equally  interesting,  the  Upper  perhaps  not 
possessing  as  much  of  grandeur  as  the  Lower. 
The  height  of  the  former  is  140  feet.  The  river 


above  is  broken  into  rapids,  and,  reaching  the 
edge,  the  entire  volume  of  water  seems  to  be 
hurled  off  the  precipice  with  terrific  force,  so 
that  the  mass  is  broken  into  most  beautiful 
snow-white  drops,  presenting,  at  a  distance,  the 
appearance  of  snowy  foam.  Midway  in  its 
descent  a  ledge  of  rock  is  met  with,  which  car- 


301 


ries  it  away  from  the  vertical  base  of  the  preci- 
pice. The  water  has  worn  a  circular  basin  in 
the  hard  rock.  From  any  point,  the  view  is 
striking  and  picturesque.  What  it  lacks  in  sub- 
limity is  compensated  for  by  its  beauty. 

Crater  Hills  and  Mud  Volcanoes. — 
Leaving  the  falls,  the  trail  leads  us  up  the  river, 
and  soon  brings  us  out  into  a  level  prairie 
country,  through  which  the  Yellowstone  flows 
peacefully  between  low,  verdant  banks,  and  over 
pebbly  bottoms,  or  treacherous  quicksands, 
giving  no  intimation  of  its  struggles  below. 
We  seem  to  have  left  everything  terrific  and 
diabolic  behind  us.  Stopping  to  drink  at  a 
beautiful  looking  creek,  we  find  it  impregnated 
with  alum.  This  is  Alum  Creek,  which  has  its 
source  in  the  springs  about  Crater  Hills,  six 
miles  above  the  falls.  The  best  camping  place 
will  be  found  three  miles  farther  on,  at  Mud 
Volcanoes,  from  which  point  the  springs  in  this 
part  of  the  valley  can  be  visited.  They  are 
found  on  both  sides  of  the  river.  At  the  head  of 
some  of  the  branches  of  Warm  Spring  Creek,  are 
sulphur  and  mud  springs,  and  on  the  eastern  side 
of  the  river,  numerous  mud  springs  are  found. 

Crossing  Alum  Creek,  we  soon  find  ourselves 
at  Crater  Hills, — two  high  conical  white  hills, 
about  200  feet  high,  around  the  base  of  which 
are  hot  springs  and  steam  jets.  One  of  the 
latter  is  called  the  "  Locomotive  Jet  "  from  the 
noise  made  by  the  escaping  steam.  The  princi- 
pal spring  is  the  "Boiling  Sulphur  Spring." 
It  is  about  12  feet  in  diameter,  and  encircled  by 
a  beautifully  encrusted  collar-like  rim.  The 
water  is  constantly  agitated,  rising  from  three  to 
four  feet  above  the  basin  like  some  huge  caldron. 
Crossing  through  a  narrow  belt  of  timber,  a 
short  distance  east  of  this  spring,  we  come  upon 
a  group  of  active  mud  and  sulphur  springs,  all 
tasting  strongly  of  alum.  The  noise  made  by 
the  boiling  mud,  the  scream  of  the  steam  jets,  the 
plop-plop  of  the  smaller  mud-pots,  the  puffing 
and  throbbing  of  the  larger  ones,  and  the  sul- 
phurous odors  that  fill  the  air,  combined  with 
the  treacherous  nature  of  the  ground  beneath 
us,  give  rise  to  feelings  that  are  difficult  to 
analyze. 

At  Mud  Volcanoes,  we  find  new  wonders  in 
the  "Devil's  Caldron,"  "The  Grotto,"  "The 
Mud  Geyser,"  and  a  host  of  smaller  springs. 

The  presence  of  the  "Caldron,"  is  made 
known  by  the  immense  column  of  steam,  which 
is  continually  rising  from  it.  It  is  on  the  side 
of  a  low  hill.  The  steam  generally  obscures  the 
view  of  the  seething  mass  of  blackish  mud, 
which  is  20  feet  below  the  surface.  The  trees 
all  about  the  crater,  are  coated  with  mud  which 
it  is  supposed  has  been  ejected  during  an  erup- 
tion of  this  mud  geyser.  It  does  not  boil  with 
an  impulse  like  most  of  the  mud  springs,  but 
with  a  constant  roar  that  shakes  the  ground 
and  may  be  heard  at  a  considerable  distance. 


About  200  yards  from  the  "  Caldron  "  at  the 
head  of  the  rivulet,  which  drains  the  group  of 
springs,  is  the  "  Grotto."  It  is  a  sort  of  cave  in 
the  rock.  The  orifice  is  about  15  feet  high,  and 
slopes  gradually  inward  for  about  20  feet. 
From  this  cavern  at  regular  intervals  of  a  few 
seconds,  there  bursts  forth  a  mass  of  steam,  with 
a  pulsation  that  causes  the  earth  to  throb,  while 
a  small  stream,  clear  as  crystal,  but  absurdly 
disproportionate  to  the  amount  of  noise,  flows 
from  the  mouth  of  the  cavern.  The  steam  is  so 
hot,  that  only  when  the  breeze  wafts  it  aside, 
can  we  look  into  the  opening. 

The  "  Muddy  Geyser "  has  a  funnel-shaped 
basin,  60  feet  in  diameter,  which  is  in  the  midst 
of  a  basin  measuring  200  feet  by  150  feet — with 
sloping  sides  of  clay  and  sand.  The  flow  takes 
place  at  intervals  of  from  four  to  six  hours,  last- 
ing from  twelve  to  sixteen  minutes  each.  The 
water,  mingled  with  mud,  rises  gradually  until 
the  basin  is  filled  to  the  level  of  the  brim,  when 
a  slight  bubbling  commences  near  the  center. 

Suddenly  it  is  thrown  into  violent  confusion, 
and  an  irregular  mass  of  lead  colored  mud  and 
water  is  thrown  into  the  air  with  irregular  pul- 
sations. The  height  attained  is  15  to  40  feet. 
At  the  end  of  the  eruption  the  water  sinks  into 
the  funnel-shaped  orifice,  to  go  through  the  same 
operation  in  a  few  hours. 

From  Mud  Volcanoes  we  can  go  either  to  the 
Geyser  Basins  of  Fire  Hole  River,  or  to  Yellow- 
stone Lake.  To  the  former,  the  distance  is  about 
19  miles  and  to  the  latter,  only  a  little  over 
seven  miles.  A  trail  is  found  on  both  sides  of 
the  river  and  late  in  the  season  the  river  is  easily 
forded.  The  trail  on  the  eastern  side  will  lead 
us  to  Pelican  Creek,  Steamboat  Point,  and  Brim- 
stone Basin  on  the  eastern  side  of  the  lake,  from 
which  we  can  go  around  the  southern  bays  to  the 
Hot  Springs,  on  the  south-west  arm  of  the  lake, 
to  which  the  trail  on  the  western  side  of  the 
river  will  also  lead  us.  There  are  several  in- 
teresting Mud  Springs,  opposite  Mud  Volcanoes, 
on  the  east  side  of  the  Yellowstone. 

Yellowstone  Lake. — This  beautiful  sheet 
of  water  is  more  than  twenty  miles  in  length 
and  fifteen  in  width.  Its  form  has  not  inaptly 
been  compared  to  that  of  an  outspread  hand — 
the  northern  or  main  body  representing  the 
palm,  while  the  south-western  bay  represents  the 
thumb  considerably  swollen,  the  other  bays  cor- 
responding to  the  fingers,  two  being  small,  and 
the  others  disproportionately  large. 

The  elevation  of  the  lake,  from  measurements 
made  by  the  United  States  Geological  Survey, 
is  7,427/feet  above  sea  level.  Its  depth  is  from 
one  and  a  half  to  fifty  fathoms.  Its  shore  line 
measures  over  three  hundred  miles,  presenting 
some  of  the  loveliest  shore  lines,  especially  at 
Mary's  Bay  on  the  east  side,  south  of  Steamboat 
Point.  Here,  also,  is  Diamond  Beach,'  a  broad 
and  level  sand  beach  extending  for  five  miles. 


302 


The  sand  is  composed  of  particles  of  obsidian 
(volcanic  glass)  quartz,  and  chalcedonies  that 
sparkle  in  the  sunlight. 

The  western  side  of  the  lake  is  covered  with 
pine  forests,  as  is  the  southern  end,  where  also 
there  are  many  lakelets,  and  considerable  marshy 
ground.  There  are  no  high  mountains  in  this 
direction,  low,  broad  hills  forming  the  water-shed 
between  the  lake  and  the  sources  of  Snake 
River.  One  can  cross  almost  anywhere  to  the 
Shoshone  Geyser  Basin.  The  eastern  side  of 
the  lake  is  also  well  wooded,  but  more  broken  by 
small  open  prairies.  The  country  on  this  side 
soon  rises  into  a  grand  mountain  range  from 
which  numerous  volcanic  peaks  rise.  Prominent 
among  them  are  Mts.  Stevenson  and  Doane. 
The  interesting  localities  of  the  lake  on  the 
eastern  side  are  "  Brimstone  Basin,"  "  Steam 
Point "  and  "  Steamboat  Springs, "  "  Turbid 
Lake  "  and  the  Springs  of  Pelican  Creek  and 
Sulphur  Hills.  On  the  south-western  arm  also, 


characteristic,  notwithstanding  the  name.  The 
period  of  greatest  activity  of  all  the  springs  here 
is  past,  and  they  are  gradually  dying  out. 

The  spi'ings  on  the  shore  of  the  south-western 
arm  of  the  lake,  occupy  an  area  of  about  three 
miles  in  length,  and  half  a  mile  in  width.  There 
are  no  geysers.  Some  of  the  springs  are  found 
in  conical,  siliceous  mounds,  rising  from  the 
water  of  the  lake  near  the  shore.  One  of  these 
is  named  the  "  Fish  Pot,"  from  the  fact  that 
while  standing  on  its  crater,  one  may  extend  his 
fishing-rod,  catch  trout,  and  turning,  may  cook 
them  in  the  spring.  About  four  hundred  yards 
from  the  shore  is  a  basin  of  boiling,  pink-colored 
mud  with  conical  mud  craters,  from  which  the 
mud  is  ejected.  There  are  also  a  number  of  cleai-, 
flowing  springs  of  hot  water,  and  numerous 
springs  of  boiling,  muddy  water  varying  in  color 
from  white  to  dark  yellow. 

The  next  point  of  interest  after  Yellowstone 
Lake  is  the  Geyser  Region  of  Fire  Hole  River,  or 


YELLOWSTONE  LAKE. 


is  an  interesting  group  of  springs.  "  Brimstone 
Basin  "  is  south-east  of  Steam  Point,  and  marks 
the  seat  of  once  active  springs,  evidenced  by  the 
deposits.  The  stream  flowing  through  them  is 
strongly  impregnated  with  alum.  At  Steam 
Point,  besides  the  springs,  are  several  steam  jets. 
From  one  the  steam  escapes  with  a  noise  resem- 
bling that  made  by  the  escape  of  steam  from  a 
large  steamboat.  Others  resemble  the  escape 
of  steam  from  the  cylinders  of  a  locomotive. 
Springs  are  found  on  the  shore  of  the  lake  be- 
tween Steam  Point  and  Pelican  Creek  and  along 
the  course  of  the  latter  stream.  At  Turbid 
Lake,  two  miles  east  of  the  lake  and  back  of 
Steam  Point,  the  springs  are  mud  springs  and 
sulphur  vents.  The  water  of  the  lake  itself  is 
made  turbid  by  the  springs  in  its  midst  and  on 
the  shores.  Sulphur  Hills  are  between  Pelican 
Creek  and  the  Yellowstone.  Sulphur  is  not 


the  Upper  Madison.  From  the  group  of  springs, 
a  trail,  striking  nearly  due  west,  will  bring  us 
to  the  head  of  the  "  Upper  Geyser  Basin,"  a  dis- 
tance of  about  fifteen  miles.  We  may  also  keep 
more  to  the  south  and  visit  the  geysers  of  Sho- 
shone Lake,  on  the  way,  or  we  may  return  to 
Mud  Volcanoes  and  cross  to  the  East  Fork  of 
Fire  Hole  River,  and  visit  the  "Lower  Geyser 
Basin  "  first,  which  is,  perhaps,  the-  best  course, 
as  the  springs  of  the  Lower  Basin  will  seem  less 
interesting  after  the  greater  wonders  of  the 
Upper  Basin  have  been  seen. 

Geyser  Basins  of  Fire  ITofe  River. — 
The  geyser  basins  of  the  Upper  Madison  in- 
clude, altogether,  about  seventy-five  square  miles. 
In  this  area  are  thousands  of  springs  and  gey- 
sers, ranging  in  temperature  from  the  boiling 
point  to  cold.  Their  description  would  occupy 
the  space  of  a  volume.  Only  the  salient  features 


303 


can  be  given  here.  The  springs  are  divisible 
into  three  classes  :  1st.  True  geysers  which  are 
agitated  at  stated  intervals,  and  from  which  the 
water  is  projected.  2d.  Those  which  are  con- 
stantly agitated  or  always  boiling.  They  rarely 
have  eruptions ;  most  of  the  mud  springs  can 
also  be  included  under  this  division.  3d.  Those 
which  are  always  tranquil.  In  the  latter,  the 
water  is  generally  of  a  lower  temperature,  and 
has  a  beautiful  blue  color,  or  often  a  green  tint 
like  that  of  the  beryl.  In  springs  of  the  very 
lowest  temperatures  there  is  often  a  low  form  of 
gelatinous  vegetable  growth. 

Some  of  the  springs  of  the  Lower  Basin  merit 
the  title  of  small  lakes.  They  are  divided  on 
the  maps  into  eight  groups.  The  first  is  on  the 
East  Fork;  the  second  is  about  a  mile  farther 
to  the  south,  and  the  third,  fourth,  and  fifth 
groups  still  farther  south  on  the  east  side  of  the 
basin.  In  the  third  group  are  the  Fountain 
Geyser,  and  the  Mud  Puffs,  both  worthy  a  visit. 
In  the  fifth  group  is  the  Architectural  Geyser, 
probably  the  most  powerful  in  the  "  Lower 
Basin." 

The  sixth  gi'oup  is  on  the  main  river  above  the 
mouth  of  Fairy  Fall  Creek,  the  seventh  is  on  the 
latter  stream,  and  the  eighth  on  Sentinel  Creek, 
a  stream  joining  the  Fire  Hole  below  Fairy  Fall 
Creek.  There  are  but  about  half  a  dozen  real 
geysers  in  the  Lower  Basin,  but  craters  are  seen 
which  must  once  have  been  active  spouters.  The 
deposits  are  siliceous,  as  is  the  case  with  the  Up- 
per Basin.  There  are  many  places  where  the 
springs  are  extinct,  nothing  remaining  save  the 
glaring  white  sediment.  The  scalloped  rims  ex- 
tending out  over  the  water,  like  cakes  of  ice,  and 
the  corrugated  sides  of  the  basins  are  exceedingly 
beautiful.  Before  leaving  the  Lower  Basin,  we 
must  visit  Fairy  Falls,  a  very  pretty  miniature 
cascade  at  the  head  of  Fairy  Fall  Creek.  From 
the  mouth  of  the  latter  creek,  to  the  mouth  of 
Iron  Spring  Creek,  which  marks  the  lower  bound- 
ary of  the  Upper  Basin,  the  distance  is  five 
miles  in  an  air  line.  About  midway  are  the  Half- 
way Springs.  The  principal  one  is  a  huge  cal- 
dron, 250  feet  in  diameter,  with  walls  about  20 
feet  high.  It  is  in  constant  agitation,  giving  off 
clouds  of  steam.  On  one  side,  the  wall  is  broken 
down,  and  thence  the  surplus  water  flows  into 
the  river,  through  numerous  channels  whose  beds 
are  lined  with  scarlet,  yellow,  and  green,  which 
contrast  boldly  with  the  white  siliceous  sinter 
surrounding  the  spring.  Farther  back  from  the 
river,  on  a  slight  eminence,  is  an  almost  circular 
spring,  150  feet  in  diameter. 

The  journey  from  one  basin  to  the  other  is 
suggestive  of  the  infernal  regions.  The  trail 
keeps  near  the  river,  which  is  warm,  fed  as  it  is 
by  so  many  hot  streams.  The  ground  sounds 
hollow  under  foot.  We  wind  in  and  out  among 
holes  from  which  steam  and  sulphurous  odors 
escape,  past  great  yawning  caverns  and  cisterns 


of  bubbling,  seething  water  and  mud.  The  air 
is  full  of  strange  noises,  and  we  feel  as  though 
we  were  on  dangerous  ground,  through  which 
we  may  break  at  any  moment  and  descend  to 
flames  beneath.  Again  we  pass  pools  of  trans- 
lucent water,  in  whose  azure  depths  we  can  not 
see  the  bottom  of  the  siliceous  basins. 

We  also  cross  boiling  streams  which  flow  over 
hard  beds  colored  green,  yellow,  and  red,  from 
the  deposition  of  mineral  ingredients  by  the 
evaporation  of  the  water. 

Upper  Geyser  Basin. — The  Upper  Geyser 
Basin  has  been  called  the  Great  Basin,  because 
it  contains  the  principal  geysers.  It  is  about 
two  miles  long,  and  will  probably  average  half 
a  mile  in  width.  The  best  view  is  obtained 
from  the  crater  of  "  Old  Faithful,"  at  the  upper 
end.  Through  the  Lower  Basin  the  course  of 
the  river  is  almost  due  north,  while  in  the  upper, 
it  flows  west  of  north.  Its  banks  are  made  of 
geyserite,  the  siliceous  deposit  of  the  springs, 
which  is  literally  honeycombed  with  springs,  pools 
and  geysers,  that  are  constantly  gurgling,  spit- 
ting, steaming,  roaring,  and  exploding.  To  de- 
scribe all  the  geysers  would  require  more  space 
than  can  be  spared,  and  I  will  therefore  refer 
only  to  the  principal  ones,  hoping  the  reader  will 
take  the  trip  and  see  the  wonders  of  the  Yellow- 
stone for  himself,  which  is  really  the  only  way 
in  which  they  can  be  appreciated,  for  any  de- 
scription must  always  fall  short  of  the  reality. 
Entering  the  Upper  Basin  from  the  north,  we 
pass  a  series  of  rapids  at  the  upper  end  of  which 
we  enter  the  gateway,  as  it  were,  guarded  by  two 
sentinel  geysers,  one  on  either  side  of  the  river ; 
that  on  the  left  being  the  most  active. 

Following  the  river  for  about  two  hundred  and 
fifty  yards,  we  reach  the  "  Fan  Geyser,"  where 
there  are  several  orifices  from  which  the  water 
radiates,  the  streams  crossing  each  other  and 
producing  a  fan-shaped  eruption.  A  short  dis- 
tance above,  on  the  opposite  side  of  the  river,  is 
the  "  Grotto  Geyser  "  which  is  easily  recognized 
by  the  peculiar  form  of  its  crater,  from  which  it 
takes  its  name.  There  are  two  orifices,  the 
principal  one  being  in  the  larger  and  more  irreg- 
ular mound,  which  is  eight  feet  high,  while  the 
smaller  one  is  only  four  feet  high.  The  inter- 
val between  its  eruptions  is  unknown.  It  throws 
a  column  of  water  and  steam  from  40  to  60  feet 
above  its  crater.  Several  hundred  yards  farther 
back  from  the  river,  south-west  from  the  "  Grotto," 
are  the  "  Pyramid,"  "  Punch  Bowl,"  "  Bath  Tub," 
and  "  Black  Sand  "  Geysers. 

The  "  Giant "  is  about  400  feet  south-east  of 
the  "Grotto."  It  has  a  rough,  cone-like  crater, 
ten  feet  high,  with  one  side  broken  down.  The 
orifice  from  which  the  water  is  expelled  is  about 
five  feet  in  diameter.  This  curious  crater  is  near 
the  river's  edge,  on  a  platform  of  deposit  measur- 
ing 342  yards  in  circumference.  It  has  seldom 
been  seen  in  eruption.  Langford  gives  the 


SCENES  IN  THE  YELLOWSTONE   PARK. 
1.— Jupiter's  Baths  and  Soda  Mountain.    2.— Valley  of  the  Yellowstone. 


305 


height  as  140  feet  in  1870.  It  was  also  seen  in 
action  in  1874,  but  the  height  was  not  measured. 
Following  up  the  river  on  the  south-west  side, 
we  next  stop  at  the  "  Castle."  It  is  a  cone,  ris- 
ing a  little  over  11  feet  above  an  irregular  plat- 
form of  sinter,  that  measures  75  by  100  feet,  and 
is  three  feet  high.  The  orifice  of  the  geyser 
tube  is  three  feet  in  diameter,  and  circular,  and 
its  throat  is  lined  with  large  orange-colored 
globular  masses.  In  1870,  its  eruption  threw  a 
column  of  water  140  feet  above  its  crater,  con- 
tinuing three  hours.  In  1872,  the  maximum 
height  observed  was  93  feet  and  the  duration 
fifteen  minutes,  after  which  steam  escaped  with 
a  pulsating  movement,  the  whole  display  lasting 
about  an  hour  and  twenty  minutes.  In  1874, 
the  same  succession  of  water  and  steam  was 
noticed,  the  former  lasting  twenty  minutes,  and 
attaining  an  estimated  height  of  250  feet,  and 
the  latter  lasting  about  forty  minutes  longer. 
The  noise  of  the  eruption  is  indescribable.  Im- 
agine a  gigantic  pot  with  a  thunder-storm  in  its 
stomach,  and  to  the  noises  of  elemental  war,  add 
the  shrieking  of  steam  pipes  and  you  will  have 
a  faint  idea  of  it.  After  the  eruption,  the  ex- 
hausted geyser  sinks  into  complete  repose. 

Near  the  "  Castle "  is  a  beautiful  blue  hot 
spring,  which  has  been  given  the  fanciful  name  of 
"  Circes  Voudoir."  The  water  is  perfectly  trans- 
parent, and  so  intensely  blue  that  you  involun- 
tarily plunge  your  hand  in  to  see  if  it  is  water. 
The  basin  is  of  pure  white  silica,  looking  like 
marble.  It  is  about  20  feet  in  diameter,  and  has 
a  beautiful  and  regular  scalloped  margin.  The 
white  basin  slopes  to  a  funnel-shaped  opening 
which  is  40  feet  deep,  and  here  the  water  is  in- 
tensely blue,  its  temperature  180°  Fahrenheit. 

"  Old  Faithful,"  standing  at  the  head  of  the 
valley,  is  so  named  from  the  regularity  of  its 
spouting.  Its  mouth  is  six  feet  by  two,  in  a 
siliceous  mound  that  rises  11  feet  above  the  gen- 
eral level.  On  this  mound  are  small  basins 
whose  edges  are  ornamented  with  bead-like  silica. 
The  eruptions  commence  with  a  few  abortive 
attempts,  followed  by  a  rapid  succession  of  jets 
which  soon  reach  the  maximum,  and  then  sub- 
side, only  steam  escaping  from  the  orifice.  The 
average  interval  between  the  eruptions  observed 
in  1872,  was  one  hour,  two  and  three-quarter 
minutes,  and  the  average  duration  four  minutes, 
fifty-three  seconds.  As  observed  by  Captain 
Jones'  party  in  1873,  the  interval  was  fifty- 
six  minutes  and  forty  seconds,  and  the  dura- 
tion four  minutes  and  thirty-three  and  one-half 
seconds.  The  height  of  the  column  was  esti- 
mated at  nearly  150  feet.  The  greatest  height 
measured  in  1872,  out  of  seventeen  eruptions, 
was  130  feet.  The  "  Bee  Hive  "  is  on  the  op- 
posite side  of  the  river,  nearly  due  north  of  "  Old 
Faithful,"  and  about  300  yards  distant.  It  is 
near  the  river  and  readily  recognized  by  its 
cone  three  feet  high,  and  about  three  feet  in 
20 


diameter.  From  this  cone  the  water  is  pro- 
jected with  great  force  in  a  steady  stream.  The 
column  is  fan  shaped.  No  water  falls  back,  but 
it  seems  to  be  all  resolved  into  vapor.  The 
length  of  the  eruptions  is  from  four  to  fifteen 
minutes,  and  the  interval  unknown.  The  col- 
umn rises  from  100  to  250  feet. 

Two  hundred  yards  back  of  the  Bee  Hive,  is 
the  "  Giantess,"  which  has  a  large  basin  23  by  32 
feet.  It  is  on  the  summit  of  a  gently  sloping 
siliceous  mound.  Its  eruptions  are  very  irregu- 
lar. They  last  from  8  to  18  minutes.  The  only 
eruption  measured  in  1872,  was  69  feet.  An 
immense  mass  of  water  was  thrown  up.  Other 
estimates  have  given  the  height  as  60,  200, 
and  250  feet. 

Farther  down  the  river  and  opposite  the 
castle,  from  which  it  is  distant  460  yards,  is  the 
"  Grand  Geyser."  One  would  scarcely  take  it 
for  an  important  geyser,  unless  he  witnessed  one 
of  its  spoutings ;  for,  unlike  the  others,  it  has  no 
raised  crater.  Its  basin  which  is  52  feet  in 
diameter,  is  depressed  a  foot  below  the  general 
level.  The  mouth  of  the  geyser  tube  in  the  cen- 
ter, measures  four  feet  by  two  feet,  and  from  this, 
about  once  in  24  hours,  a  column  is  thrown  to  the 
height  of  from  175  feet  to  250  feet.  The  eruption 
generally  consists  of  three  periods,  after  each  of 
which  the  water  sinks  completely  out  of  sight. 
Near  the  "  Grand  "  are  the  "  Saw  Mill "  and  the 
"  Turban."  The  latter  is  only  a  few  feet  from 
the  "  Grand,"  and  will  be  known  by  the  globular 
masses  that  look  like  huge  squashes,  and  are 
easily  seen  lining  the  sides  and  bottom  of  the 
crater  when  the  water  has  di:°r>peared  from  the 
basin.  The  eruptions  are  unimportant.  Still 
farther  down  the  river,  and  nearly  opposite  the 
"Grotto,"  is  the  "Riverside"  which  brings  us 
back  nearly  to  the  place  we  started.  A  visit  to 
Iron  Spring  Creek,  is  well  worth  taking.  Near 
its  mouth,  on  the  north  side,  is  the  "  Soda 
Geysers  "  group. 

Fair  camps  are  easily  found  in  the  "  Lower 
|  Geyser  Basin." 

In  the  "  Upper  Basin,"  a  good  camp  for  a 
small  party  is  in  a  grove  near  the  "  Castle."  An- 
other is  found  about  a  quarter  of  a  mile 
higher  up. 

The  trail  to  the  "  Shoshone  Geyser  Basin  "  leads 
up  the  Fire  Hole  River,  and  a  short  distance 
above  the  "  Upper  Basin,"  we  pass  a  fall  60  feet 
high,  that  is  worthy  a  visit  from  all  who  would 
see  the  beauties  as  well  as  the  wonders  of  the 
region.  It  somewhat  resembles  the  Middle  Fall 
at  Trenton,  New  York.  Above  the  falls,  the 
trail  cro/sses  the  river  to  avoid  swampy  ground, 
and  keeps  on  the  bounding  ridge  of  hills  on  the 
west.  The  narrow  valley  expands,  and  we  soon 
enter  a  third  geyser  basin  with  several  groups  of 
springs,  and  one  geyser  called  the  "  Solitary." 
It  has  a  dome-shaped  mound,  15  feet  in  diam- 
eter and  11  to  14  feet  high,  covered  with  elegant 


306 


pearly  bead-work,  and 
striped  vertically  with 
bands  of  white,  dark  green, 
brownish  black,  and  vari- 
ous shades  of  orange  and 
yellow,  the  white  being  ordinary  geyserite,  while 
the  other  colors  are  purely  vegetable. 

In  the  top  of  the  mound  are  several  openings, 
the  larger  about  three  inches  in  diameter,  from 
which  a  stream  of  water  is  thrown  20  to  50  feet 
and  even  to  70  feet,  mostly  in  drops,  with  much 
steam.  The  amount  of  water  is  small,  yet  is 
erupted  with  great  force,  reminding  one  of  the 
eruptions  of  the  "  Castle."  The  spouting  is  at 


intervals  of  about  two 
hours.  The  elevation  of 
this  "  Upper  Basin,"  is 

7,770  feet,  while  that  of  the  Upper  Geyser  Basin, 
proper,  is  from  7,800  to  7,400.  On  a  small 
stream  coming  into  the  basin  from  the  west, 
about  a  quarter  of  a  mile  from  the  river,  is 
a  fine  cascade  130  feet  high.  The  river  rises 
in  a  small  lake  to  which  the  name  Madison 
Lake  is  given.  From  here  the  trail  runs 
due  east  to  Shoshone  Lake,  which  is  one  of 
the  sources  of  Snake  River,  giving  origin  to  the 
main  stream.  From  the  "  Upper  Geyser  Basin  " 
to  Madison  Lake,  is  about  ten  miles,  and  from 
this  lake  to  the  Shoshone  Geysers,  the  distance 
is  about  four  miles.  The  trail  is  not  very  good, 
there  being  considerable  fallen  timber  through 
the  region  to  be  traversed. 

Mount  Blackmore. — This  mountain,  pre- 
vious to  1872,  was  practically  unnamed  and  un- 
known. It  is  situated  in  the  heart  of  the  Rocky 
Mountains,  in  Montana  Territory,  and  at  its 
base  are  the  sources  of  the  Gallatin  River,  which, 


307 


with   the  Jefferson   and   Madison   Rivers,  help 
form  the  mighty  Missouri. 

It  was  discovered  by  the  Hayden  Exploration 
Party  of  1872,  and  received  its  name  under  the 


PALACE  BUTTE. 


following  circumstances :  While  camped  at 
Fort  Ellis,  and  making  preparations  for  the  ex- 
plorations of  the  famous  Yellowstone  Expedition, 
the  party  was  joined  by  Mr.  William  Blackmore, 
of  London,  one  of  Eng- 
land's scientific  men.  With 
him  came  his  wife,  who  was 
anxious  to  see  some  of  the 
beauties  and  wonders  of 
our  famous  Yellowstone 
National  Park.  The 
fatigue  and  hardships  of 
the  journey  from  Corinne 
to  Bozeman,  600  miles  of 
staging,  proved  too  much. 
On  arrival  at  Bozeman,  she 
was  taken  ill,  and  after  a 
sickness  of  but  two  days, 
she  died.  Her  grave  lies  at 
the  foot  of  a  mountain 
range,  from  which  there 
rises  a  grand  peak,  stand- 
ing up  like  a  huge  monu- 
ment to  her  memory.  To 
this  peak  the  party  gave  the 
name  of  Mt.  Blackmore. 
The  height  above  the  sea  is 
10,134  feet.  The  ascent  is 
exceedingly  difficult,  and 
required  over  four  days 
by  the  party  who  succeed- 
ed, and  the  scene  from 
the  summit  is  inexpress- 
ibly grand,  and  the  field 
of  vision  is  immense. 
Here  a  bird's-eye  view  is 
gained  of  the  Gallatin 
River  for  over  40  miles  of 
its  course ;  in  the  distance 
is  the  Missouri.  Next  are 
the  Jefferson  and  Madison 
Rivers,  and  southward 
is  a  country  whose  ap- 
pearance is  rough  be- 
yond imagination.  Peak 
upon  peak  looms  up  against 
the  horizon  —  the  Snowy 
Range  of  the  Yellowstone, 
with  its  high  points,  and 
the  Madison  Range  with 
its  numerous  peak-capped 
summits.  Nearly  at  the 
summit  of  Mt.  Blackmore 
is  the  crater  of  an  extinct 
volcano,  and  the  peak  itself 
is  composed  of  black  basalt 
and  a  brick-red  lava.  On 
the  western  and  northern 
sides  there  is  an  almost 
perpendicular  w  a  J  J ,  too 
steep  to  hold  any  snow,  in 
lodgment. 


308 


Palace  Butte. —  In  ascending  Mt.  Black- 
more,  the  Hay  den  Party  passed  through  a  lovely 
little  park  about  a  quarter  of  a  mile  in  length, 
and  almost  oval  in  shape,  bordered  on  all  sides 
by  a  line  of  grand  old  trees,  whose  symmetry 
would  have  graced  the  finest  artificial  park  in 
the  world.  Back  of  these  trees,  on  the  east,  ris- 
ing to  the  height  of  over  3,000  feet  above  us, 
stood  an  almost  blank  wall  of  volcanic  rock,  the 
prevailing  tint  of  which  was  a  somber  black,  re- 
lieved here  and  there  with  streaks  of  red  and 
green,  as  though  it  had  been  painted.  This  wall 
was  surmounted  by  dome  and  spire-like  points  of 
rock,  in  whose  crevices  lay  deep  banks  of  snow. 
On  the  western  side  of  the  park,  across  the  creek, 
was  a  second  wall  similar  in  character  to  the 
first.  The  effects  of  the  weather  had  given  curi- 
ous architectural  resemblances.  It  did  not  re- 
quire a  very  vivid  imagination  to  trace  castles 
and  fortress  walls  on  the  face  of  the  wall.  At 
the  head  of  the  park  stands  a  monument-like 
pile  of  rocks,  to  which  we  gave  the  name  of 
Palace  Butte,  and  the  park  we  call  Palace  Park. 
The  butte  rises  in  an  almost  dome-shaped  mass 
from  a  blank  wall,  on  whose  sides  we  can  distin- 
guish narrow,  silver-like  lines,  reaching  from  the 
top  down,  until  they  are  hidden  behind  the  trees. 
These,  we  afterward  discovered,  are  waterfalls 
fed  by  the  snows  above.  Without  any  visible 
means  of  support,  they  seem  to  cling  to  the  rock 
for  protection.  The  scene  as  we  came  into  the 
park  was  so  strikingly  grand,  that  we  could  not 
restrain  our  exclamations,  and  it  was  some  time 
before  we  became  composed  enough  to  arrange 
our  camp 

Shoshone  Lake  Geysers. — In  beauty  the 
springs  of  the  Shoshone  Basin,  are  probably  un- 
surpassed although  the  geysers  are  less  active 
than  those  of  the  Fire  Hole. 

They  are  at  the  extreme  western  end  of  the 
western  arm  of  the  lake,  on  Shoshone  Creek,  up 
which  they  extend  for  about  half  a  mile  on  both 
sides. 

The  most  important  geyser  is  the  "  Union 
Geyser,"  so  called  because  it  combines  the  vari- 
ous forms  of  geyseric  action.  It  has  three 
vents,  each  of  which  has  built  up  a  small  cone. 
Its  eruptions  are  irregular,  the  height  being  from 
70  to  92  feet.  Its  location  is  on  the  east  side  of 
the  creek,  opposite  Quick  Run.  One  hundred 
yards  up  the  stream  on  the  same  side,  at  the 
point  of  a  hill,  are  the  "  Minute  Man  "  and  the 
"  Shield  Geyser."  The  former  has  a  beautifully 
beaded  crater  four  feet  high,  and  its  jets  reach 
an  altitude  of  from  30  to  40  feet.  The  shield 
has  an  ornamented  mound  with  a  shield-shaped 
opening.  Between  these  geysers  is  the  "  Rosette 
Spring  "  in  whose  shallow  waters  are  thin  leaved 
rosette-shaped  masses.  A  rocky  knoll  intervenes 
between  this  and  the  "  Bulging  Spring."  From 
the  latter,  large  bubbles  of  steam  escape  with  a 
sound  like  that  of  liquid  pouring  from  the  bung 


of  an  overturned  barrel.  Forty  feet  beyond,  is 
the  "  Soap  Kettle  "  in  which  dirty  colored  water 
is  boiling,  covered  with  foam,  looking  like  dirty 
soapsuds.  Still  farther  on  are  the  "  Black  Sul- 
phur Geyser,"  "The  Twins,"  "The  Little 
Giant,"  "  The  Iron  Conch,"  "  The  Coral  Pool," 
and  a  host  of  smaller  springs,  the  description  of 
which  would  be  but  a  repetition  of  those  already 
given. 

Hot  springs  are  found  also  on  Lewis  Lake 
and  Heart  Lake,  south-east  of  Shoshone  Lake, 
and  also  doubtless  in  many  localities  yet  un- 
discovered. 

From  the  region  just  described,  we  can  retrace 
our  steps  to  the  Lower  Fire  Hole  Geyser  Basin 
from  whence  we  can  either  follow  down  the 
Madison  on  the  Virginia  City  Route,  or  return 
to  Bozeman  ;  or,  we  can  follow  the  Snake  River 
passing  Jackson's  Lake,  and  the  grand  scenery 
of  the  Teton  Mountains,  and  take  the  trail  to 
Fort  Hall,  or  crossing  through  Teton  Pass, 

fo  to   the  same  place   via  Pierres    River  and 
nake  River. 

HEIGHTS  ATTAINED  BY  THE  ERUPTIONS  OF  THE  PRINCI- 
PAL GEYSERS  IN  FIKE  HOLE  BASINS,  YELLOWSTONE 
NATIONAL  PARK. 

NAME  OF  OEYSEB.  AUTHORITY.         1 

Fountain,  in  Lower  Basin,       Hayden,  1871, 

Architectural,  in  Lower  Basin,Hayden,  1871, 

Old  Faithfnl,  Upper  Basin,      Hayden,  1871, 

Old  Faithful,  Upper  Basin. 

Old  Faithful,  Upper  Basin, 

Old  Faithful,  Upper  Basin, 

Old  Faithful,  Upper  Basin, 

Giantess,  Upper  Basin, 

Giantess,  Upper  Basin, 

Giantess.  Upper  Basin, 

Bee  Hive,  Upper  Basin, 

Bee  Hive,  Upper  Basin, 

Bee  Hive,  Upper  Basin, 

Castle,  Upper  Basin, 

Castle,  Upper  Basin, 

Castle,  Upper  Basin, 

Castle,  Upper  Basin, 

Castle,  Upper  Basin, 

Grand,  Upper  Basin, 

Grand,  Upper  Basin, 

Grand,  Upper  Basin, 

Turban,  Upper  Basin, 

Turban,  Upper  Basin, 


Giant,  Upper  Basin, 
Grotto,  Upper  Basin, 
Grotto,  Upper  Basin, 
Grotto,  Upper  Basin, 


AUTHORITY.         HEIGHT  IM   FEET. 

30  to  60 
60  to  80 
100  to  150 
*132 
150 
150 

100  to  150 
250 
*39 
100 
*219 

100  to  150 
100 
50 

10  to      15 
*93 
30 
250 
200 
*173 
200 
*25 
30 
140 
60 
*41 
25 


Hayden,  1872, 
Norton,   1872, 
Comstock,  1873, 
Dunraven,  1874, 
Langford,  1870, 
Hayden,  1872, 
Norton,  1872, 
Langford,  1870, 
Hayden,  1872, 
Norton,  1872. 
Langford,  1870, 
Hayden,  1871, 
Hayden,  1872, 
Comstock,  1873, 
Dunraven,  1874, 
Hayden.  1871, 
Hayden,  1872, 
Comstock,  1873, 
Hayden,  1872, 
Comstock,  1873, 
Langford,  1870, 
Langford,  1870, 
Hayden,  1872, 
Comstock,  1873, 


*  Measured  by  triangulation,  the  others  are  estimated. 

ELEVATIONS  IN  THE  YELLOWSTONE  NATIONAL  PARK. 

FEET  ABOVE  SEA  LEVEL. 

Mammoth  White  Mountain  Hot  Springs,  6,278  to  7,035 
M  ud  Volcanoes.  7,756  to  7,800 
Crater  Hills'  Springs,  7,828  to  7,979 
Sulphur  Springs  on  divide  between  Yellow- 
stone and  East  Fork  of  Fire  Hole  River,  8,246 
Lower  Geyser  Basin,  7,250  to  7,350 
Upper  Geyser  Basin,  7,300  to  7,400 
Third  Geyser  Basin,  7,772 
Shoshone  Lake,  Geyser  Basin,  7,900 


LAKES. 


Yellowstone  Lake, 
Shoshone  Lake, 
Lewis  Lake, 
Madison  Lake, 
Henry's  Lake, 


7,788 
7,870 
7,750 
8,301 
6,443 


309 


MOUNTAIN  PEAKS. 

FEET  ABOVE  SEA  LBVEL. 

Mount  Hayden,  13,833 

Mount  Washburn,  10,388 

Mount  Sheridan,  10,343 

Mount  Blackmore.  10,134 

Mount  Delano  (Yellowstone  Valley),  10,200 

Mount  Doaue,  10,118 

Klectnc  Peak,  10,992 

Emigrant  Peak,  10,629 

Red  Mountain,  south  of  Yellowstone  Lake,  9,806 

Lookout  Hill,  north  of  Shoshone  Lake,  8,257 

Old  Baldy,  near  Virginia  City,  9,711 

PASSES  AND  DIVIDES. 

Teton  Pass,  8,464 

Tyghee  Pass,  7,063 
Reynold's  Pass,  Henry's  Lake  north  to  Madison  River,  6,911 

Divide,  Yellowstone  and  Gallatin,  on  road  from  Fort 

Ellis  to  Boteler's  Ranche,  5,721 

Divide  on  Mount  Washburn  where  trail  crosses,  9,155 

Divide  between  Yellowstone  and  Madison,  on  trail 

from  Mud  Volcanoes  and  Geyser  Basins,  8,164 

Divide  between  Madison  and  Shoshone  Lakes,  8,717 

Divide  between  Yellowstone  and  Lewis  Lakes,  8,024 
Togwater  Pass,  (Upper  Yellowstone  to  Wind  River,)  9,621 

ANALYSIS  OF  DEPOSIT   FROM  THE  HOT  SPRINGS  OF  GARD- 
INER'S RIVER. 


Water  and  volatile  matters, 

Lime, 

Silica, 

Ferric  Oxide, 

Alumina, 

Soda  and  Magnesia,  traces. 


32.10  per  cent. 
67.70  per  cent. 

3.32  per  cent. 

3.62  per  cent. 

3.31  per  cent. 


10,5.05 


ANALYSIS  OF  GEYSERITE  FROM  LOWER  GEYSER  BASIN. 

Water,  etc.,  9.00  per  cent. 

Silica,  88.60  per  cent. 

Alumina  and  Iron,  1.60  per  cent. 

Lime,  0.95  per  cent. 

Magnesia,  Soda,  Potash  and  Lithia,  traces.  

100.15 

ANALYSIS  OF    PINK    MUD    FROM    MUD    PUFFS    IN    LOWER 
GEYSER  BASIN. 

Water,  8.65  per  cent. 

Silica,  44.61  per  cent. 

Alumina,  45.09  per  cent. 

Magnesia,  2.66  per  cent. 

Iron,  1.86  per  cent. 
Lime  and  Soda,  traces. 

102.87 

ANALYSIS  OF  GEYSERITE  FROM  UPPER  GEYSER  BASIN. 

Water,  13.42  per  cent. 

Silica,  79.56  per  cent. 

Lime,  1.54  per  cent. 

Alumina,  0.46  per  cent. 

Magnesia,  1.78  per  cent. 

Iron,  Chlorine  and  Soda,  traces.  

96.76 


ANALYSIS  OF    GEYSERITE    FROM    SHOSHONE    LAKE,  GEY- 
SER BASIN. 

13.00  per  cent. 
76.80  per  cent. 

9.46  per  cent. 

1.80  per  cent. 


Water, 

Silica, 

Alumina, 

Lime, 

Iron,  Magnesia  and  Soda,  traces. 


101.06 


The  analyses  given  above  are  from  the  Reports 
of  the  Hayden  U.  S.  Geological  Survey  of  the 
Territories. 

Great  Soda  Mountain  and  Jupiter's 
Bath  in  the  Yellowstone  Keg  ion.  —  This 
natural  curiosity  is  thus  described  by  an  artist 
who  accompanied  the  Yellowstone  Exploring  Ex- 
pedition of  Doane  and  Washburn.  It  is  one  of 
the  most  wonderful  institutions  the  world  can 
afford : 

"On  the  second  day  out  from  Boteler's  Ranche 
— thirty-three  miles — we  diverge  from  the  rocky 
trail  on  the  Yellowstone,  and  after  passing  a 
short  way  up  a  creek  called  '  Gardiner's  River,' 
we  were  led  by  an  old  mountaineer  up  quite  a 
steep  mountain. 

"  Near  its  summit  an  immense  boiling  spring 
spouts  out,  by  a  number  of  mouths  and  pools, 
the  water  of  which,  as  it  flows,  precipitates  its 
soda,  sulphur  and  carbonate  of  lime  into  a  suc- 
cession of  beautiful  terraces  and  natural  bath- 
tubs, and  like  the  coral  insect,  builds  perpetually 
upon  itself,  until  we  have  before  us  a  hill  of 
snowy  soda  and  carbonate  of  lime,  which  is  from 
300  to  500  feet  in  height,  and  covers  at  least  50 
acres.  The  water  is  of  a  deep  cerulean  blue, 
and  the  temperature  averages  160  degrees.  The 
process  of  precipitation  is  very  rapid,  and  one 
can  fairly  see  it  deposited  in  beautiful  strands, 
crystals  and  geodes.  The  elevation  is  a  little 
more  than  6,000  feet  above  the  sea.  No  more 
beautiful  contrast  in  the  world  of  light  and  color 
can  be  found  for  the  artist,  than  in  this  spot 
which  is  surrounded  by  dark,  rugged  mountains, 
and  shades  of  yellow,  white,  amber,  pink  and 
russet  on  the  spring-hill  itself." 


INDEX. 

PAOK. 

PAGE. 

PAGE. 

FAOB. 

Overland  Travel.  — 

Shelton,                           31 

Laramie  Peak,                 87 

Kaysville,                      132 

Hints  and  Comforts,         10 

Sidney,                               56 

Laramie  Plains,                83 

Kelton,                             167 

Palace  Car  Life,                 8 

Silver  Creek,                      28 

Latham,                             97 

Lake,                                166 

Railroad  Routes,               12 

South  Platte  River,          39 

Lawrence,                        100 

Lake  Point,                     149 

Sleeping  Car  Expenses.   13 

Stevenson,                         33 

Leroy,                               107 

Lehi,                                 142 

Preparations  Westward 
Trip,                                18 

Summit  Siding,                 19 
Summit  Springs,               49 

Lookout,                             90 
Marston,                           104 

Little  Cotton  wood,         141 
Lucin,                               172 

Union  Pacific  R.  R. 

Benefits,                               6 

Valley,                                20 
Warren,                               38 

Medicine  Bow,                  91 
Medicine  Bow  M't'ns,         88 

Matlin,                              172 
Millstone  Point,              147 

Discouragements.               7 

Waterloo,                           20 

Millis,                                111 

Monument,                      166 

Fast  Building,                     8 
History,                                5 

Willow  Island,                  87 
Wood  River,                      31 

Miser,                                 90 
Otto,                                   81 

Mormon  Fortifications,     117 
Ogden,                             1L'6 

Progress,                              7 

NEBRASKA.— 

Adams,                               60 

COLORADO.— 

Denver,                              75 
Denver  &  Rio  Grande 
Railroad,                         75 

Percy,                                 93 
Piedmont.                       107 
Pine  Bluffs,                       60 
Point  of  Rocks,                 99 

Ogden  Canon,                  128 
Ombey,                             172 
One  Thousand  Mile 
Tree,                             124 

Ames,                                 25 
Alda,                                   31 
Alkali,                                46 
Antelope,                           58 
Barton,                               47 
Big  Spring,                        47 
Brady  Island,                    38 
Bridge,  M  issouri  River,        18 
Brownson,                          68 
Brule,                                 47 
Bennett,                             58 
Bushnell,                            60 
Chapman,                           28 
Chappell,                            56 
Clark,                                  28 
Col  ton,                                 56 
Columbus,                          26 

Denver  Pacific  R.  R.,           73 
Evans,                                 75 
Garden  of  the  Gods,        77 
Grand  Canon,  Ark.,          77 
Gray's  Peak,                      77 
Greeley,                              73 
Life  in  Colorado,                  77 
Manitou  Springs,              75 
Mtn.  Holy  Cross,               79 
Notes  to  Tourists,                75 
Pleasure  Resorts,                78 
WYOMING.— 
Agate,                               97 
Archer,                               61 
Aspen,                               108 
Atkins,                                 60 

Powder  River  Country,    81 
Rawlins,                             9.> 
Red  Buttes,                       84 
Red  Desert,                       97 
Rock  Creek,                       90 
Rock  Springs,                  100 
Salt  Wells,                         99 
Separation, 
Sherman, 
Simpson,                            93 
Skull  Rocks,                       83 
Soda  Springs,                   109 
Stock  Statistics, 
Summit,                              96 
St:  Mary's,                         94 
Sweetwater  River,          103 
Table  Rock,                       97 

Parley's  Park,                 122 
Pay  son,                             143 
Peterson,                          125 
Pleasant  Grove,              142 
Promontory,                    164 
Provo,                               142 
Pulpit  Rock,                    119 
Quarry,                             163 
Rocks  Echo  and  We- 
ber Canons,            122,  124 
Rozel,                                166 
Salt  Lake,                         155 
Salt  Lake  City,         132,  134 
Sandy,                             141 
Santaguin,                        143 
Seco,                                  167 
Sentinel  Rock,                 117 

Coyote,                              37 
Cozad,                                 37 
Dexter,                               46 
Elkhorn,                             20 
Elm  Creek,                        33 
Fremont,                            23 
Gannett,                             38 

Baxter,                              100 
Bear  River  City,              110 
Bitter  Creek,                     97 
Black  Buttes,                   >99 
Black  Hills,  Wyoming,    88 
Bridger,                            107 
Bryan,                               104 

Thaver,                               99 
Tie  Siding,                         83 
Tipton,                                97 
Tongue  River  Country,    81 
Tracy.                                 60 
Utntah  Mountains,            105 
Wnlcott.                             94 

Shoshone  Falls,               Ki8 
Spanish  Fork,                  143 
Springs,   Salt    Lake 
City,                         135,  136 
Springville,                      142 
Steamboat  Rock,             117 
Terrace,                          172 

Gibbon,                              32 

Buford,                               81 

Washakie,                          97 

Uintah,                             126 

Gilmore,                             19 
Grand  Island,                    29 

Burns,                                 CO 
Carbon,                               93 

Wilcox,                               90 
Wind  River  Mountains,      87 

Utah  Central  R.  RM        131 
Utah  Lake,                       147 

Jackson,                             28 
Josselyn,                            33 
Julesburg,                          47 
Julesburg  Incidents,            47 
Kearny,                              32 
Kearny  Junction,             32 
Lockwood,                         29 
Lodge  Pole,                       66 
Lone  Tree,                         28 
McPherson,                       38 
Millard,                              19 

Carter,                               107 
Cheyenne,                          64 
Chugwater  Valley,            91 
Church  Buttes,                105 
Cotno,                                  90 
Cooper's  Lake,                  90 
Creston,                              96 
Dale  Creek  Bridge,          82 
Dana,                                  93 
Devil's    Gate,    Sweet- 
water,                           110 

Wyoming,                          90 
UTAH.— 

American  Fork,               142 
American  Fork  Canon,      143 
Black  Rock,                      149 
Blue  Creek,                      163 
Blonneville,                      162 
Bovine,                             172 
Brigham,                           162 
Bromley  Cathedral,        119 

Utah  Southern  R.  R.,     140 
Utah  Territory.               129 
Utah  Western'R.  R.,        147 
Wahsatch,                        113 
Weber,                              325 
Weber  Quarry,                125 
Weber  River,                   120 
Witches.  The                   119 
Wood's  Cross,                 132 
York,                                 143 

Nichols.                              46 
North  Bend,                      25 
North  Platte  River,          39 
North  Platte,                     41 

Egbert,                               60 
Evanston,                         111 
Fillmore,                            96 
Fort  Steele,                        94 

Castle  Rock,                     116 
Centerville,                      132 
City  of  Rocks,                  170 
Coalville,                           120 

Idaho  Territory.  — 

Boise  City,                        171 
Boise  Valley,                    171 
Rattlesnake  Station,       171 

O'Fallon's,                         46 
Ogalalla,                             46 
Omaha,                               15 
Omaha  Business,                  17 
Overton,                             33 
Papillion,                            19 
Plum  Creek,                       33 
Potter  .                                68 
Ri>'hland,                            25 
Riverside,                           21 
Rogers,                               25 
Roscoe,                               46 
Schuyler,                            25 

Granger,                           105 
Granite  Canon,                  81 
Green  River,                    100 
Grennville,                         95 
Hallville,                            99 
Hampton,                         107 
Harney,                              84 
Hazard.                               81 
Hilliard,                            108 
Hillsdale,                           60 
Howell,                               90 
Independence  Rock,      110 
Laramie.                            84 

Corinne,                            162 
Deer  Creek,                      145 
Desert,  Great,                  157 
Devil's  Gate,                    126 
Devil'9  Slide,                    124 
Draperville,                      141 
Echo  Canon,                    1  15 
Echo,                                 119 
Farmington,                     132 
Gardening,  Irrigation,       139 
Half-  Way  House,            150 
Hanging  Rock,                117 
Hot  Springs,                    129 

Silver  City,                       171 
Snake  River,                    171 

MILITARY  POSTS.— 

Camp  Carlin, 
Fort  Laramie,                   79 
Fort  Sanders, 
Fort  Reno, 
Fort  Casper, 
Fort  Fetterman,                79 

NEVADA.— 

Argenta.                           186 
Austin.                             186 

(junction,                         141 

INDEX. 

PAGE.  •                                                 PAOE. 

PAGE. 

FAOB. 

Battle  Mountain,            186 

Toano,                               173 

Napa,                                276 

Giant's  Club.                    102 

Beowawe,                         185 

Trout  in  Lake  Tahoe,        218 

Napa  Junction,               276 

Great     Plains     and 

Big  Bonanza  Mine,         211 

Truckee  River,                202 

Napa  Soda  Springs,        271 

Desert,                           188 

Bishop's,                           176 

Tulasco,                            176 

Napa  Valley,                    276 

Great  Railroad  Wed- 

Bronco,                            224 

Tule,                                  190 

Nevada,                            240 

ding,                              164 

Brown's,                            198 

Two  Mile,                         199 

NewAlmaden  Quick- 

Green River  Rocks,        103 

Brown's.                           207 

Virginia  &  Truckee  R.R.,  207 

silver  Mines,                 269 

Hailstorms,                         60 

Brunswick,                       208 

Verdi,                                224 

Newcastle,                        243 

Health  —  Cheyenne,          66 

Carlin,                             180 

Virginia  City,                   209 

New  England  Mills,        241 

Heat,                                 250 

Carson  City,                     208 

Vista,                               204 

Niles,                                 258 

Iliff—  Cattle  King,            52 

Carson  Sink,                    214 

Wadsworth,                      200 

Oak  Knoll,                       277 

Indians.  Astonished         64 

Chicken  Soup  Spring,    177 

Walker  Lake,                   214 

Oakland,                           259 

Indian  Burial  Tree,          88 

Clark's,                              204 

Washoe  City,                   207 

Oakland  Point  ,                261 

Indian  Prayer,                  64 

Clover  Valley,                 175 

Wells,  Humboldt,           174 

Pacific  Congress  Springs,  27  1 

Indian  Trade,                    62 

Cluro,                                182 

White  Plains,                  198 

Penryn,                             243 

Invalids,  Advice  to           44 

Coin,                                  189 

Winnemucca,                   191 

Pescadero,                        270  '      Invalids,  Hints  to           274 

Cornucopia  Mines,          178 

Winnemucca  Lake,        202 

Petrified  Forest,              273  |      Last  Spike,                       164 

Dead  Man's  Spring,        174 

Yank's,                            217 

Pino,                                 243  !      Letters,                             204 

Deeth,                             176 

Pleasanton,                      257 

Long's  Peak,                     61 

Desert,                             199 

C  ALIFORN  IA.— 

Pleasure     Resorts    of 

Maiden's  Grave, 

Elko,                                 177 

Alta,                                  233 

California,                    271 

Mormon  Church, 

Emerald  Bay,                 217 

Altamont,                         257 

Proctor's.                         225 

Mormon  Courtesies,        153 

Empire,                            208 

Antelope,                         244 

Prosser  Creek,                224 

Mormon  Religion, 

Essex,                                224 

Arcade,                             244 

Rocklin,                            243 

Mormon  Social  Life,       150 

Franktown,                      207 

Auburn,                            241 

Railroad  Works—  Sacra- 

Mountain on  Fire,           113 

Glenbrook,                       216 

Bantas,                             255 

mento,                         244 

Oasis  in  the  Desert,        194 

Golconda,                         190 

Batavia,                            276 

Sacramento,                     246 

"Off  to  the  Mines,"       237 

Gold  Hill,                         208 

Bay  of  San  Francisco,  261 

Sacramento  Capitol,       246 

Pike's  Peak  or  Bust,        21 

Granite  Point,                 198 

Beet  Sugar,                         247 

San  Francisco,                 262 

Piutes,  Customs,             192 

Great  Nevada  Flume,    219 

Big  Trees—  Calaveras,       250 

San  Joaquin  Bridge,      255 

Piutes,  Burial  Dead,       189 

Halleck,                            176 

Blue  Canon,                    233 

San  Joaquin  Valley,       252 

Piutes.Catch  Fish,          189 

Hot  Springs,                     199 

Boca,                                 224 

San  Jose,                          269 

Placer  Mining,                 235 

Humboldt,                        194 

Bridgeport,                      276 

San  Leandro,                    259 

Platte  Valley,                    23 

Humboldt  Lake,              201 

Brighton,                          249 

Santa  Cruz,                     269 

Poker,  a  Chinese  Idea 

Humboldt  River,             202 

Brooklyn,                         259 

Secret  Town,                   240 

of,                                  239 

Humboldt  Sink,              214 

California  Pacific  R.  R.,    275 

Shady  Run,                      233 

Pony  Express,                   42 

Independence,                174 

Calistoga,                         277 

Snow  Sheds,                        227 

Prairie  Dogs,                     52 

Iron  Point,                       190 

Cannon's,                          276 

Snow  Storm  at  Truckee,    226 

Prairie  Fires,                     21 

Lake  Tahoe,                    216 

Cape  Horn,                       239 

Soda  Springs  Station,     230 

Prairie  Hens.  Shooting    24 

Lake  Tahoe  —  Stage 

Cape  Horn  Mills,             239 

South  Vallejo,                 277 

Precious  Stones,               66 

Routes,                         214 

Cascade,                            230 

Starvation  Camp,            228 

Rabbit  Drives,                 199 

Lake  View,                     208 

Castle,                             249 

St.  Helena,                       277 

Rabbit  Robes,                  200 

Lookout,                         208 

China  Ranche,                233 

Stockton,                          250 

Race,  Curious                    93 

Loray,                              173 

Cisco,                               231 

Strong's  Canon,               228 

Rainbows,                          72 

Lovelock's,                      197 

Cliff  House,                     271 

Suisun  City,                     276 

Rough  Times,  Chey- 

Lumber,                             219 

Climate,                              270 

Summit,                          228 

enne,                              65 

Mammoth  Cave,             173 

Clipper  Gap,                   241 

Summit  Valley,              230 

Scientific      Explora- 

Merrimac,                       208 

Colfax,                              240 

Sunol,                               257 

tions.                              106 

Mill  City,                          193 

Creston,                            276 

Sutter  Creek,                   249 

Sheep  Raising,                  84 

Mill  Station,                    208 

Davisville,                        275 

Tamarack,                        231 

Skillful  Cookery,             237 

Mines  of  Virginia  City,     210 

Decoto,                             258 

Thompson,                       276 

Sporting.                          142 

Mirage,                             198 

Dixon,                               276 

Truckee,                           225 

Sporting,                          112 

Moleen,                             180 

Dutch  Flat,                      235 

Vallejo,                             277 

Stock  Raising,                   39 

Montello,                          173 

Elk  Grove,                       249 

Woodward's  Garden,      271 

Stock  Raising,                   65 

Moore's,                            174 

Ellis,                                 255 

Yosemite  —  Routes,          253 

Successful  Farming,         31 

Morgan,                            208 

Elmira.                             276 

Yountville,                     277 

Sunset  Scenes, 

Mount  Davidson,            210 
Mound  House,                 208 

Emigrant  Gap,                233 
Excursions,                         267 

MISCELLANEOUS.— 

The  Devil.  Firing  off      206 
Thunder  Storm,                71 

Ore  —  Lewis  Mine,           187 

Fail-field,                         276 

Ah  Ching's  Theology,     205 

Tit  for  Tat,                      205 

Oreana,                           197 

Florin,                               249 

Alexis'  Buffalo  Hunt,      37 

Tree  Planting,                  31 

Osino,                                177 

Foster,                              276 

Alfalfa,                             253 

Tule  land,                        275 

Otego,                               174 

Gait,                                  249 

Battle     with     Indi- 

Vigilance Committee 

Palisade,                           182 

Geysers,                    269,  273 

ans,                     33—37,  49 

Incident,                       196 

Peko,                                 176 

Gold  Run,                         237 

Black  Hills.  The         68—72 

Windmills,                        87 

Pequop,                            174 

Grass  Valley,                  240        Brown's  Hole,                 102 

Yellowstone  Park,          293 

Piute,                                189 
Pyramid  Lake,               202 

Great  American  Canon,     240        Buffaloes,                         62 
Haywards,                        258        Buffalo  Grass,                   46 

ILLUSTRATIONS. 

Raspberry,                       193 

Insane  Asylums,                 250        Buffalo  Robes,                   26 

Agnes  Park.                          69 

Reno.                                205 

lone  City,                          249        Bullwhackers,                   55 

American  Fork  Canon,      144 

Rose  Creek,                      193 

Jackson,                           249        Cattle  Kings,                   185 

American    Fork    (  six 

Rowlands,                        217 

Junction,                          243     Central  Pacific  R.  R.— 

scenes).                             146 

Ruby  Range,                    176 

Kidd's  Lakes,                 230       Discouragement.             159    Ames  Oakes,  Portrait 

Rye  Patch,                       196 

Lathrop,                           252        Capital,                             161     Anderson  Valley, 

Salvia.                               204 
Scales,                               208 

Litton  Seltzer  Springs,  273 
Livermore,                       257 

Expenses,                         160     Bank,  California 
Chimney  Rock,                 42     Battlement  Rocks,             118 

Silver,                               208 

Lockford,                         249 

Chinese  in  San  Fran-               Bear  River  Valley,            232 

Shoshone,                         185 

Lodi,                                 249 

cisco,                             278     Bierstadt,  Albert,  Por- 

Shoshone  Indian  Village,  182 

Lorenzo,                           258 

Chinese  Workmen,         115 

trait                                    30 

Sinks  of  Nevada  Basin,    214 

McConnell's,                    249 

Cloud  Effects,                    57 

Big  Trees  (six  scenes;,      251 

Steamboat  Springs,        207 

Medway,                           255 

CcalMine.                        113    Black  Hills  (five  scenes),      67 

Stone  House,                   189 

Melrose,                            259 

Colorado  Plains,               58     Black  Rock. 

Sulphur  Mines,               195 

Merced,                            253 

Coyotes,                              59    Bloomer  Cut, 

Sutro  Tunnel,                  210 

Mineral  Springs,             271 

Curious  Names,               205     Blue  Canon, 

Tahoe  City,                      218 

Mokelumne  Hill,             249 

Curiosities,  Indians          91     Brigh  am  Young's  Fam- 

Tecoma,                            172 
Thousand  Spring  Valley,  176 

Moonlight  Scenery  of 
the  Sierras,                   240 

Flaming  Gorge.               103        ily  Residence, 
Game—  Black  Hills,          72     Brigham  Young's  Office,    136 

INDEX. 

PAOK. 
Brigham  Young's  New 

FADE, 
Golden  Gate,                      266 

PAGE. 
Mt.  Blackmore,                  306 

PAGE. 

Shooting  Ducks,                   45 

Residence,                        139 

Good  Bye,                             19 

Mts.  Hayden  and  Mor- 

Shoshone Falls.          168—171 

Bromley's  Cathedral,         114 

Gould,  Jay,  Portrait            22 

an,                                     297 

Shoshone  Indian  Vil- 

Buildings San  Fraiiuis- 

Grand    Duke    Alexis' 

Needle  Rocks,                      118 

lage,                                  162 

co  (five  views).                 264 

Buffalo  Hunt,                    38 

Oakland  Avenue,                245 

Sierras,  Scenery                 231 

Bullvvhaeker    of     the 

Gray's  Peak,                           63 

Oakland  Garden,                 245 

Sign  Mormon  Stores,          137 

Plains,                                  55 

Great    Eastern,    Echo 

Oak  Knoll,                            272 

Silver     Palace-Car   of 

Busted,                                  21 

Canon,                              114 

Oakland  Piazza  Vines,      245 

C.  P.  R.  R.,                      161 

Cape      Horn      (  three 

Great   Railroad  Wed- 

Ogden,                                   127 

Skull  Rocks.                           82 

views),                               238 

ding,                                  165 

Ogdon     Canon     Nar- 

Snow Sheds,  Union  Pa- 

Castle Peak,                        231 

Great  Salt  Lake,                 154 

rows,                                 129 

cific  Railroad,                  108 

Castle  Rock,  Echo  Ca- 

Green Bluffs,                       234 

Old     Mill,   Am.    Fork 

Snow    Sheds,    Central 

non,                                   114 

Green     Kiver    (  three 

Canon,                               148 

Pacific  Raili  oad,              224 

Castle      Rock,     Green 

scenes),                               98 

Omaha.  Scenes  in  (five 

Snow  >heds  Gallery,          225 

River,                                100 

Green      River,     West 

views),                                14 

Snow  Slide  Mountains,      141 

Central   Pacific    Rail- 

Bank,                               102 

Overland   Stage,  Indi- 

St reet  Scene,  San  Fran- 

road, Representative 

Hanging    Rock,    Echo 

an  Attack,                           43 

cisco,                                 270 

Men,                                  158 

Canon,                              114 

Palace  Butte.                      307 

Summits  of  the  Sier- 

Chimney Rock,                    42 

Hayden,  Prof.    F.    V., 

Palace-Car  Life,                     2 

ras,                                 221 

China  Ranche,                     232 

Portrait                              30 

Palisades  of  the  Hum- 

The  Pacific  Tourist,          1—5 

Chinese  Theatre,  Inte- 

Hoodlums,                            265 

buldt,                                 183 

Thousand  Mile  Tree,         125 

rior                                    289 

Humboldt  Canon,               184 

Pappoose  Scene,                 195 

Truckee    River      (  six 

Chinese  Temple,                 285 

Humboldt  Desert   (six 

Pawnee   Chief  in  Full 

scenes*.                             203 

Chinese  Quarters,               279 

scenes).                              181 

Dress,                                 51 

Tunnel    No.  3,  Weber 

Church  Buttes,                   105 

Humboldt  River,                 181 

Petrified  Fish  Cut,             102 

Canon.                              127 

Cliff  House,                          2(56 

Humboldt  Sink,                  181 

Piute  Indians,                     181 

Tunnel,  Strong's  Canon,   227 

Cold  Stream,                       234 

Humboldt  Station,               193 

Platte  River,  near  Fort 

Twin  Sisters,                        101 

Coyotes.                                 59 

Hunting  Prairie  Hens,        25 

Steele,                              95 

Ute  Squaw  and  Pap- 

Ouster, Gen.,  Portrait         30 

Independence  Itock,           HO 

Pony  Express,                      43 

poose.                               163 

Dale  Creek  Bridge,              83 

[ndian  Burial  Tree,              88 

Pony  Express  Saluting 

Uintah  Mountains,              80 

Deer  Race  with  Train,        94 

Indian  Costumes,                  50 

the  Telegraph,                  44 

Virginia  City,  Nevada,      209 

Deeth  Mountain  Scene,     181 

Indian  Tent  Scene,              27 

Pony  Express  Station,         43 

Vision  Golden  Country,     242 

Desert,   Great  Ameri- 

Jupiter's Baths,                  304 

Powell,  Major  J.  W., 

Wadsworth,                        181 

can.                                   181 

Lake  Angeliue,                   230 

Portrait,                             30 

Weber  Canon.  Heights,     127 

D  jvil's  Gate,                      127 

Lake  Esther,                        212 

Prairie  Dog  City,                 53 

Wheeler,  Lieut.,    Por- 

Devil's Gate  on  Sweet- 

Lake  Lai,                             112 

Prairie  on  Fire,                    20 

trait                                    30 

wat->r,                                111 

Lake  Scene  near  Gold 

Prospect  Hill,                      234 

Wilhelmina  Pass,               130 

Devil's  Slide,                        126 

Hill,                                     40 

Prospect  Hill,                     232 

Williams'  Canon,                 74 

Devil's  Tower,                       72 

Lake  Tahoe,                        215 

Pulpit  Rock,                119,  120 

Windmill  at  Laramie,          87 

Dillon.  Sidney,  Portrait      22 

Laramie  Plains,  Morn- 

Pyramid Lake,                     201 

Winnemucca,     Indian 

Donner  Lake,                     234 

ing,                                      86 

Representative     Men 

Chief,                                191 

Donner  Lake,                     229 

Lightning  Scene,                  71 

Union  Pacific   Rail- 

Winter Forest   Scene, 

Durant.  T.  C  .  Portrait       22 

Little  Blue  Canon,              234 

road,                                   22 

Sierras,                             206 

Echo  Canon  Cliffs,              123 

Long's  Peak,                         61 

Residence  D.  O.  Mills,       245 

Witches  Bottles,                 118 

Kcho  Canon  Mouth,           121 

Mary's  Lake,                       226 

Rock  Cut  near  Aspen,       109 

Witches  Rocks,       •            118 

Emigrant  Gap  Ridge,      •  232 

Medicine  Bow  Mtns,           89 

Ruby  Range,                       179 

Woodward's  Gardens,        268 

Eminent  Explorers  and 

Men  of  California,  Por- 

Salt'Lake City,           133—137 

Yellowstone     Gejsers 

Artists.                                 30 

traits                                 249 

Salt   Lake    at    Monu- 

(five views).                      292 

Egyptian  Tombs,                118 
Fountain,  Hillside  Gar- 

Missouri River  Bridge,        14 
Monument  Point,                167 

ment  Point,                      167 
San  Francisco  Harbor 

Yellowstone  Lake,             302 
Yellowstone,    Lower 

den,                                   245 

Monument  Rock,                 122 

(four  viows).                    266 

Falls,                                300 

Fremont,  Gen.  .Portrait      30 

Moore's  Lake,                       312 

San  Francisco  View,          260 

Yellowstone     Park 

Gardens  and  Groves,          245 

Moran    Thomas,    Por- 

San Francisco  Mint.          263 

Scenes,                             304 

Garden  of  the  Gods,            76 

trait                                    30 

Scott.  Thomas  A.,  Por- 

Yellowstone Vallev,            304 

Giant's  Club,                       103 

Mormon  Tabernacle,          138 

trait                                    22 

Yosemite,  Biidal  Veil.       254 

Giant's  Gap.                        236 

Mormon  Temple,                135 

Secret   Town    Trestle- 

Yosemite,  Mirror  Lake,    254 

Giant's  Ten,  Pot,                 103 

Mormons    (nine     por- 

Work.                                239 

Yosemite,  Vernal  Falls,    256 

Gilbert's  Peak.                     80 

traits),                               151 

Sentinel  Rock,                     117 



Glaciers,  Mt.  Hayden,      299 

Mtn.  of  the  Holy  Cross,      78 

Shady  Run,                          234 

Total  No,                256 

ADDITIONAL  INDEX. 

Atlantic  City,                    104 

Camp  Brown,                     104 

Napa  Soda  Springs,          271 

Petrified  Forest,                273 

Artesian  Wells,                   115 

Gey.-ers.                              273 

Pacific  Congress  Springs,  271 

South  Pass  City,                104 

Camp  Stambough,              104 

Miner's  Delight,                 104 

Paso  Kobles,                        271 

White  Sulphur  Springs,   273 

HO!  FOR  CALIFORNIA II I 


Salubrious  Climate,  Fertile  Soil,  Large  Labor  Betutns* 

NO    SEVERE    WINTERS, 
NO   LOST  TIME,   NO   BLIGHT  OR  INSECT  PESTS. 


Daily  Trains  from  Boston,  New  Yort,  Philadelphia,  Baltimore,  Chicap,  Si  Louis, 
Omaha  and  Intermediate  Points,  for  San  Francisco. 


Choice  from  Nearly  Every  Variety  of  Farming,  Fruit,   Grazing, 

and  Timber  JLands. 


The  Central  Pacific  Railroad  60, 

Now  offer,  in  sections,  adjacent  to  their  Railroad  lines  in  CALIFORNIA,  NEVADA  and  UTAH,  a  larg^  body  of  Land, 
most  of  which  is  well  adapted  to  cultivation,  and  olfer  unequaled  advantages  for  settlement  or  investment. 

IN  CALIFORNIA  the  lands  lying  on  each  side  of  the  main  line  of  the  Central  Pacific  Railroad  extend  from  the 
navigable  waters  of  the  Sacramento,  above  the  Bay  of  San  Francisco,  across  the  broadest  and  most  populous  portion  of 
tt.e  Sacramento  Valley  ami  both  slopes  of  the  Sierra  Nevada  Mountains.  They  are  diversified  in  soil,  climate  and  con- 


strawberrins.  small  fruits  and  garden  vegetables  generally,  and  for  the  ea»«  with  which  they  can  be  grown  to  dimensions 
and  perfection  unattainable  elsewhere.  The  lands  in  this  belt,  purchased  of  the  Company,  have  resulted  in  gratifying 
success  to  tho  settlers.  Wheat  can  safely  lie  in  the  field  till  threshed  and  shipped,  and  the  fruit  trees  and  vines  are  not 
troubled  by  ineects  or  blight. 

Along  the  CALIFORNIA  and  OREGON  BRANCH,  in  the  rerowned  Valley  of  the  Sacramento,  extending 
from  the  center  to  the  northern  boundary  of  the  Slate,  the  Company  also  offer  a  choice  selection,  with  the  same  general 
characteristics.  This  valley  is  at  present  the  seat  of  the  most  successful  culture  of  small  grains  (wheat,  barley,  oats,  etc.) 
in  the  country,  and  also  offers  unrivaled  facilities  for  extensive  and  profitable  sheep  and  stock  grazing.  The  whole  'com- 
prises some  of  the  Best  Land  in  California. 

IN  NEVADA  the  main  line  of  the  Central  Pacific  Railroad  orcupips  the  Truckee  and  Hnmboldt  Valleyc,  the  largest 
and  best  settled  in  the  State,  at  a  short  distance  from  numerous  and  important  mining  regions,  whose  yield  of  the 
precious  metals  is  estimated  at  from  fifteen  to  twenty  million  dollars  annually.  The  lands  of  the  Company  are  FO  situ- 
a^etl  as  to  command  these  markets  for  their  produce.  Large  herds  of  cattle  are  maintained  with  little  or  no  trouble  in 
the  Hmnbolilt  Vallev  and  the  valleys  which  join  it.  Wherever  the  proper  cultivation  has  been  applied,  these  lands  have 
yielded  good  crops  of  fruits,  cereal*  and  esculents. 

IN  ITTAH,  in  the  great  Salt  Lake  and  contiguous  valleys,  where  the  Mormons  have  so  successfully  demonstrated 
the  fertility  of  the  soil  and  the  healthf  ulness  of  the  climate,  the  Company  have  also  good  land. 

Title,  Patent  direct  from  the  United  States  Government* 

These  lands  will  be  sold  in  quantities  and  on  terms  to  suit.  Immigrants,  colonists  and  capitalists,  who  desire  to 
acquire  indestructible  real  property,  certain  to  advance  in  value,  will  be  benefited  by  an  examination.  Pamphlets,  maps, 
etc.,  will  be  furnished  by  application  to 

B.  B.  REIDIDIlXrGK 
Land  Commissioner  Central  Pacific  R.  It.  Co. 

Railroad  Buildings,  Cor.  Fourth  &  Townsend  Sts.,  SAN  FRANCISCO,  CAL. 


CHOICE  OF  9,000  000  ACRES 


-OF- 


Agricultural,  Grazing,  Vineyard,  and 

Timber  Lands, 


-IN- 


SOUTHERN     CALIFORNIA, 

SITUATED  BETWEEN 

San  Francisco,  Los  Angeles  and  Fort  Yuma, 


ALONG     THE     ROUTE     OF 


WHO  OFFER  TO  INTENDING  SETTLERS  AND  OTHERS 


A  variety  of  Lands  adjacent  to  their  Lines  of  Railroad  in  the  Southern  part 

of  California,  now  nearly  completed,  between  San  Francisco  Bay  and 

the  Colorado  River,  in  Santa  Clara,  Santa  Cruz,  Stanislaus, 

Merced,  Fresno,  San  Benito,  Monterey,  Tulare,  San  Luis 

Obispo,  Kern,  Santa  Barbara,  Los  Angeles,  San 

Bernardino  and  San  Biego  Counties, 
Embracing  Nearly  Every  Variety  of  Soil,  Climate  and  Crops* 

All  kinds  of  Cereals  are  raised  with   ease;  also,  Cotton,  Tobacco,  Hemp,  and  other  Vege- 

table Fibres,  besides  Fruits  of  all  kinds,  including  choice  Grapes,  Oranges,  Lemons, 

Figs,  Walnuts,  Almonds,  Olives,  Castor   Beans,  &c.    Wine   making,  Orchard- 

ing,   Bee   Culture,    and   other   branches   are   successfully  carried   on. 

HANDSOME    PROFITS   ARE    BEING    REALIZED    FROM    THE    MANAGEMENT   OF 
CULTIVATED    OR    STOCK    FARMS, 

And  population  is  rapidly  crowding  to  these  newly-opened   lands.     Price,  from   $1.00  to 
$10.00  per  acre,  according  to  location. 


further  information   in  regard  to  lands  and  means  of  access,  &.C.,  apply  to  Jerome  Madden, 
the  Land  Agent  of  the  Company. 

SOUTHERN  PACIFIC  RAILROAD  LAND  OFFICE, 

Corner  of  Fourth  and  Townsend  Streets, 

SAN  FRANCISCO,  CAL, 


m 


Idaho,  Oregon,  and  Washington  Territory, 


IN"    COlSTlSTKCTIOlSr    "WITH    THE 

Union  and  Central  Pacific  Railroads. 


Coaches  leave  KELTON,  Utah,  on  the  CENTRAL  PACIFIC  RAILROAD,  DAII>T,  at  6.00  A.  M.,  for  all  points 
in  Idaho  Territory,  Washington  Territory,  and  Oregon,— among  which  are 

UNION,  OREGON. 

LA  GRANGE, 

UMATILLA, 

DALLES    CITY, 

PORTLAND, 

WALLA   WALLA,    ' 

e  quick  ns  is  consistent  with  safety  and  com- 
I>ESIRABI,K  ROUTE,  affording  tlio  trav- 
TICKETS  can  be  purchased  at  Omaha  and 


SNAKE    RIVER    MINES,    IDAHO. 

BOISE    CITY, 

SILVER  CITY, 

ELDORADO,  OREGON. 

CANYON    CITY, 

BAKER   CITY, 

New  and  elegant  Concord  Coaches,  fine  stock,  and  careful  drivers.    Tim 
fort.     This  is  Ihc  SHORTEST,  QUICKEST,  CHEAPEST,  and  MOST 

eler  views  of  some  of  the  finest  scenery  on  iho  Pacific  slope.    THROUGH 
Eastern  Cities  to  all  points  on  this  Company's  route. 


WILLIAM  B.  MORRIS, 


S.  S.  HUNTLEY, 


Gen'I  Sup't,  Boise  City,  Idaho. 


Gen'l  Manager,  Boise  City,  Idaho. 


The  Big  Horn  and  "Wind  River  Country 

IS    RELA-CHEli    BY    THE 

SWEETWATER  STAGE  LINE. 


DAILY  STAGES  connect  with  the  UNION  PACIFIC  RAILROAD  at  GREEN  RIVER,  thence  via 

Pacific  Springs,        South  Pass  City,          Atlantic  City,       Camp  Stambaugh, 
Miners  Delight,          Sander  City,          Camp  Brown. 

A,  E.  BRADBURY,  S.  S.  HUISTTLEY, 


Supt-,  Green  River,  Wy.  Ter. 


General  Manager. 


WILL  FIND  OFFICES  OF  THE 


mmt 


At  the  following  Stations  on  the  PACIFIC  RAILROAD,  at  a  short  distance 

from  the  Depots.     Ask  for  the  WESTERN  UNION,  and 

look  out  for  the  Blue  and  White  Sign. 


Omaha, 
Papillion, 
Fremont. 
North  Bend, 
Schuyler, 
Columbus, 
Central  City, 
Grand  Island, 
Kearny  Junction, 
North  Platte, 
Ogalalla, 
Sidney, 
Bennett, 


Cheyenne, 
Laramie, 
Carbon, 
Ft.  Steele, 
Kawlins, 
Bitter  Creek, 
Rock  Springs, 
Green  River, 
Carter, 
Ililliards, 
Evanston, 
Echo, 


Weber, 

Ogden, 

Corinne, 

Kelton, 

Tecoma, 

Toano, 

Wells, 

Elko, 

Palisade, 

Battle  Mount, 

Winnemucca, 

Oreana, 


Wadsworth, 

Reno, 

Boca, 

Truckee, 

Cisco, 

Emigrant  Gap, 

Gold  Run, 

Coif  ax, 

Auburn, 

Rocklin, 

Rosevelle  Junction, 

Sacramento. 


THE    WIRES    OF1 


Reach  a  larger  number  of  Places,  than  those  of  any 
other  Company  in  the  World. 


BY  THIS  T^INE  TH  A.N  BY 


OTHER. 


«JPJ1 


®  i 

STEAMSHIP   COMPANY, 


JAPAN  AND  CHINA, 

Leave  Wharf,  Corner  First  and  Brannan  Streets,  San  Francisco, 
EVERY  24  DAYS,  AT  NOON, 


YOKOHA-MA-  AND 

CONNECTING  AT  YOKOHAMA  WITH 

Steamers  of  the  Mitsu  Bishl  Steamship  Co.  for  Shanghae. 


TICKETS. 

Cabin  Plans  on  Exhibition  and  Passage  Tickets  for  sale  at 

4=  ISTew  Montgomery  St.5  San  Francisco. 

CEO.  H.  BRADRURY,  T.  H.  GOODMAN, 

President.  G-en'l  Pass.  Agent. 


9> 


UeweleF 

w 


NOVELTIES  OF  NATIVE  PRODUCTIONS, 


SURE    TO     INTEREST    ALL. 


BEAUTIFUL    WORKMANSHIP, 


SALT  LAKE  CITY  and  CHEYENNE,  WYO. 


TX3ZE3 


It  is  eligibly  situated  on  Main  Street,  Salt  Lake  City,  in  close  proximity  to  the  Tabernacle, 
Temple,  Museum,  Theater,  etc.,  and  commands  a  magnificent  view  of  the  mountain  ranges,  the 
valley  and  other  scenery.  This  Hotel  is  4  stories  high,  Brick,  with  132  Rooms,  built  expressly 
for  Hotel  Purposes,  and  furnished  and  finished  in  elegant  style.  It  possesses  all  the  modern 
improvements,  such  as  hot  and  cold  baths,  barber  shop  and  billiard  tables.  For  the  conven- 
ience of  commercial  men,  nice  sampling  rooms  are  provided.  The  House  has  lately  been 
thoroughly  renovated  and  refitted.  I  have  also  in  course  of  construction  a  new 


-MAKING     THIS- 


The  Most   Complete  Hotel   between 


is  noted  for  its  Excellencies,  and  here  are  found  all  Game   Fruits  and   Fish  in  their  Season. 
The  Proprietor  gives  his  personal  attention  to  the  wants  and  comforts  of  his  guests. 
Carriages  with  experienced  drivers  furnished  at  all  times. 


To  Tourists  and  Strangers  visiting  the  City,  I  furnish  a  good  Guide,  free,  who 
show  them  all  Points  of  Interest  in  the  City. 


TRAVELERS    WILL   HERE   FIND   ALL   THE     COMFORTS   AND    CONVENIENCES   OF    HOME,    AFTER 
THEIR   TEDIOUS   JOURNEY   OVER   THE    PLAINS. 


Proprietor. 


MODERN  LUXURY  ON  THE  RAIL ! 


THE     MAGNIFICENT 


FOUND  ON  THE 


HOCK    ISLAND    HOUTE 

BETWEEN 

CHICAGO  AND  OMAHA, 

WERE  BUILT,  EQUIPPED,  AND  ARE  RUN  BY  THE 

Chicago,  Rock  Island  &  Pacific  R.  R.  Co., 

Furnishing  their  patrons  with  the  most  excellent  MEALS,  from  full  Bill  of  Fare,  for  73  Cents. 

U^F"  All  Meals  on  the  Great  Overland  Express  Trains  are  furnished  in  these  Cars,  and  yon  have  ample  time  to  enjoy 
them  without  lear  of  "being  left." 

If  you  do  not  desire  a  full  meal,  a  RESTAURANT  in  same  Car  supplies  everything  desirable  except  Hot  Meats,  for  a 
stated  price  per  plate. 

PASSENGERS  WILL  BEAR  IN  MIND 

Tlint  these  are  not  the  commonly  called  Hotel  Cars,  used  as  kitchen,  dining  room  and  bedroom,  with  all  the  attendant  bad 
odors  combined,  and  in  which  only  a  favored  few  are  served. 

We  recognize  the  fact  that  the  patrons  of  our  line  with  small  means,  and  those  not  occupying  apartments  in  our  Sleep- 
ing Cars,  are  entitled  to  the  equal  privilege  of  a  good  meal. 

(J3F"  These  Cars  are  made  absolutely  FHEE  FROM  DUST  by  using  the  Winchell  Ventilator. 

The  Company  have  built  a  full  complement  of  PALACE.  DRAWING-ROOM  and  SLEEPING-CARS,  which  for  ex- 
ternal beauty  and  interior  arrangements  for  the  comfort,  convenience  and  luxury  of  passengers,  are  unexcelled,  if  equaled, 
by  any  other  Cars  of  the  kind  in  the  world. 

Through  Tickets  for  Sale  at  all  Principal  Railway  Offices  in  the  United  States  and  Canada. 
DEPOT,  HEAD   OF   LA  SALLE    STREET. 


M.    SMITH, 

Gen'l  Passenger  Agent. 


.A. 


Gen'l  Superintendent. 


THE 


p,    wrlmijtmi  mtd 


Safe,  Quick  and  Popular  Route 


-TO  ALL  POINTS  IN- 


jiowa, 


The  Burlington  Eoute  is  universally  acknowledged  to  be  the  Favorite  for 

Omaha,  Salt  Lake  and  San  Francisco. 


SAFE  —  Because  it  has  the  heaviest  Iron,  the  best  ballasted  Road-Bed,  and  the  most  perfect 
Track  and  Equipment  of  any  road  in  the  West.  This  is  a  sufficient  guarantee  to  the 
passenger  for  his  safety. 

QUICK  —  Because  its  reputation  for  having  its  Trains  always  on  Time,  speak  the  fact  that 
good  management  is  combined  with  its  excellent  construction  and  equipment,  thus  in- 
suring Quick  and  reliable  time. 

POPULAR  —  Because  its  equipment  of  Day  Coaches,  of  PULLMAN'S  DINING  CARS  (run  only 
on  this  line),  and  of  PULLMAN'S  i6-WHEEL  SLEEPING  CARS  (the  largest  and  most  luxu- 
rious in  the  world),  cannot  be  surpassed,  if  even  equaled,  by  any  in  the  whole  country. 

INDEED  —  The  popular  verdict  has  pronounced  this  to  be  the 


.A. 


-WILL 


IT  TO  IBIS  so 


When  buying  Tickets,  be  sure  they  read  VIA  Chicago,  Burlington  and  Quincy  R.  R.    To  be  had  at  all  Ticket  Offices 
East  and  West. 


SAN    FRANCISCO,  CHICAGO, 

4  New  Montgomery  Street.      59  Clark  Street. 


NEW    YOEK, 

817  Broadway. 


BOSTON, 

222  Washington  St. 


H.  P.  STAJTWOOD,  Gen'l  Ag't.  JAS.  WALLACE,  Ag't.  E.  P.  RIPLEY,  General  Eastern  Agent. 

D.  W.  HITCHCOCK,  Gen'l  Western  Pass'r  Ag't,  Chicago,  111. 


—OF  THE— 


-VIA 


Omaha,  and  Sidney,  or  Cheyenne! 

— -•- — 

The  Union  Pacific  R.  R. 

OFFERS  THE  QUICKEST,  SAFEST,  AND  MOST  RELIABLE  ROUTE 

TO    THE    NEW    ELDORA.DO. 


Jgp=  By  it  you  avoid  the  SNOWS  of  the  FAR  NORTH,  the  BAD  LANDS  of  Eastern  and  Northern  Dakota,  and  the 
dangers  and  delays  of  Missouri  river  navigation.  By  it  you  secure  all  rail  transportation  to  Sydney  or  Cheyenne,  from 
wliicli  points  fast  Stage  Lines  convey  you  to  the  Hills  over" good  Government  Roads,  and  under  the  protection  of  the  Mili- 
tary stationed  along  the  route. 

These  are  the  ONLY  LINES  running  STAGES  into  the  Hills.  These  are  the  Routes  by  which  nine-tenths  of  the 
people  now  in  the  Hills  have  gone  there.  These  Routes  are  used  EXCLUSIVELY  by  business  men  and  others  from  the 
Hills  returning  to  the  States  for  the  purchase  of  goods  etc.  These  are  the  only  Routes  along  which  Telegraph  Lines  to  the 
Hills  have  been  constructed.  The  only  Routes  over  which  Government  Mails  are  carried.  The  only  Routes  open  the  whole 
year.  The  only  Routes  having  Stage  Stations,  Supply  Depots,  Wood,  Water  and  Grass  along  their  whole  length. 

.A.LL  TIKE;  a- OLID 

( amounting  to  millions  \  which  has  been  shipped  from  the  Hills,  has  come  by  these  Routes,  they  being  the  only  ones  by 
which  it  could  be  SAFELY  transported.  These  are  the  only  Routes  that  offer  First  Class  Transportation  through  to  the 
Hills.  With  good  Roads  and  Weather,  the  Stage  trip  can  be  made  in 


These  Routes  are  the  QUICKEST,  SAFEST,  BEST,  and  taking  into  account  SPEED,  COMFORT  and  SAFETY,  they 
are 

BY  FAR  THE  CHEAPEST! 

5EF=  Through  Tickets  and  the  Reduced  Through  Rates,  via  either  Sidney  or  Cheyenne,  can  ONL.Y  BE  SECURED 
by  buying  Tickets  via  OMAHA  and  the 


PACIFIC    RAILROAD. 

Parties  not  ticketed  via  Omaha  must  pay  local  Stage  Fare  from  Sidney  or  Cheyenne. 
83T"  For  further  information  call  at  or  address  the  Company's  offices, 

60  Clark  Street,  Chicago.         287  Broadway,  N.  T.,  or 
THOS.  L.  KIM  BALL, 

G-en'l  Passenger  and  Ticket  Agent,  Omaha,Neb. 


